Morellet, Francois | Trame, 1957-1975 — available on Composition Gallery

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Silkcreen on Fabriano Rosaspina paper. Signed and dated with pencil on the lower right, numbered on the left. Issued by Plura Edizioni.

This silkscreen by François Morellet presents one of the artist's signature Trame compositions, featuring two superimposed systems of fine parallel lines — one horizontal, one diagonal — intersecting in delicate red across the center of a pristine white field. The resulting pattern creates a subtle optical vibration that exemplifies Morellet's lifelong investigation into the relationship between mathematical systems and visual perception. Conceived in 1957 and executed as a silkscreen on Fabriano Rosaspina paper, the work demonstrates the artist's pioneering role in European geometric abstraction and kinetic art, predating many of the Op Art experiments that would follow.

François Morellet (France, 1926–2016) was a pivotal figure in geometric abstraction and conceptual art. Known for his precise, minimalist works, he often used systems, chance, and light to create dynamic visual effects. Morellet’s innovative use of neon and mathematically inspired compositions cemented his influence on contemporary art and kinetic aesthetics.

Francois Morellet

Trame, 1957-1975

Name: Trame, 1957-1975
SKU: 17276
Price: 1800.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Form

Limited Edition Print

Limited Edition PrintA limited edition print is one of a number of prints made at the same time from one printmaking plate. A fixed number are made and signed by the artist, indicating the printing order, using the format 1/10, meaning first of ten prints.

Medium

Silkscreen

Silkscreen Silkscreen is a printmaking method that uses a screen made of silk or other mesh fabric. The screen is treated with a substance that blocks ink in certain areas, allowing ink to pass through only in the desired sections. Each color in the print requires a separate screen.

Edition

Edition of 90

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●Inventory 17276

●Signed

Limited Edition Print

Screen-print

EUR 2,150

Francois Morellet

Ondes parasites 1, 2014

Limited Edition Print

Screen-print

EUR 2,150

Sculpture à (...), 1970

Sculpture / Object

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Anyway, I don't care about the future of my works.
- Francois Morellet

François Morellet was a prolific French Conceptual light artist of the late 20th century. He began experimenting with his preferred medium, neon, in the early 1960s, when he and some friends formed the Groupe de Recherche d’Art Visuel (Visual Arts Research Group). As a founding member of the group, he favored a non-traditional, experimental approach to art creation. Using light to translate geometry into art was his passion, particularly emphasizing circles and lines. His philosophy of art was akin to minimalism, and he believed that an artist should be a facilitator rather than cultivate the identity of an isolated genius. In his own compositions he liked to incorporate elements of the random, as he focused more on the process of creation rather than solely on the product. Besides an obsession with light and shape, he had a whimsical sense of humor, shown in his penchant for titling his pieces with forms of wordplay such as palindromes and puns. François Morellet’s works have been shown for decades in many exhibitions all over the world, and he also had his work commissioned for public locations in France and the Netherlands. (Artist website)

Artwork by Ellsworth Kelly

What is Hard Edge Art?

Hard Edge art is a style of abstract painting that became popular in the 1960s. It features areas of color separated by crisp, sharp edges that are painted with geometric precision. The term hard-edge painting was coined by art critic Jules Langsner to describe this approach, which contrasts with the softer, more fluid forms of other abstract styles.

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Francois Morellet

Trame, 1957-1975

69 x 69 cm

Language & Currency

Francois Morellet