The action of painting freely
Executed in 1978, L’Oreille Interne (Lot 32) is a masterful example of Pierre Alechinsky's spontaneous and calligraphic style. The complex organic forms in this painting are derived from the language of CoBrA, diametrically opposed to the rigidity of De Stijl and rooted in the rawness of Art Brut.
Practicing “total opposition to the calculations of cold abstraction, […] and to all forms of division between free thought and the action of painting freely,” Alechinsky captures emotion and subjective experience through bold choices of color and abstraction. The dominant yellow is given shape by fluid black brushstrokes and stern green undertones, creating an array of sensual forms, as well as a sense of depth through negative space.