Perrotin in Paris Marais is presenting 'Soulages-Hartung: Affinités électives,' an exhibition exploring the friendship and artistic dialogue between Pierre Soulages (1919–2022) and Hans Hartung (1904–1989). The show features a never-before-screened filmed interview from the Fondation Hartung-Bergman, along with archival documents and rarely seen studio tools. It highlights their shared concerns as postwar abstract painters, their mutual support and gift exchanges—such as Soulages's walnut stain piece given to Hartung in 1948—and their contrasting approaches, with Hartung's explosive gestures versus Soulages's measured structures. The exhibition also reveals their lesser-known use of blue in the 1980s.
This exhibition matters because it reexamines the legacy of two pivotal figures in European abstract art, whose friendship and creative exchange have often been overlooked. It serves as a precursor to the eightieth anniversary of their meeting at the Salon des Surindépendants, to be celebrated in 2027 at the Musée Soulages in Rodez and the Fondation Hartung-Bergman in Antibes. By presenting archival materials alongside artworks, the show deepens understanding of their shared influences and individual innovations, reinforcing their significance in postwar art history.