French-born, Berlin-based artist Bernard Frize presents his 21st exhibition with Perrotin and 10th in Paris, titled “Les 26,” on view through May 30. The show features his signature geometric latticework paintings, where interlocking grids of uniform brushstrokes create hazy chromatic architectures. Works include both resin-layered canvases with overlapping bands of bright color and tempera paintings on glass with strict compositional rules—each color moving in three straight lines to form two right angles. Frize continues his practice of using utilitarian, nonsensical titles like “Vido,” “Sioc,” and “Vesem” to decenter subjective interpretation.
This exhibition matters because it underscores Frize’s decades-long exploration of systematic constraint and optical tension, positioning him as a key figure in contemporary abstract painting. His ability to generate variation and unpredictability within rigid self-imposed rules challenges viewers’ perceptions of repetition and order. The show also highlights the enduring relationship between Frize and Perrotin, a major international gallery network, reinforcing the artist’s sustained relevance in the global art market and exhibition circuit.