César Domela

Exhibition at the Musée Zervos, Vézelay, 15 March - 26 May 2024

Best known for his reliefs, sculptures and collages, the Dutch artist César Domela (1900-1992) began painting at the age of 18. From then on, he travelled around the world - including Berlin, Paris and New York - experimenting with different styles and practices: non-figurative works with the November group, neoplasticism with De Stijl, then graphic design, photomontage, typography, interior architecture, etc. He settled in Paris in 1932, where he became a member of Cercle et Carré, then Abstraction Création, and took part in numerous events and exhibitions alongside major figures in abstraction.

Domela's compositions favour sinuous curves and arabesques inspired by his passion for Eastern thought and aesthetics. An undisputed master of materials, he makes the most of quality and unexpected materials: precious wood, sharkskin, brass, Plexiglas, etc.

This catalogue of a monographic exhibition brings together around thirty works in a variety of media and techniques, reflecting the different periods of Domela's work. It also reprints writings by Zervos and other authors devoted to the artist.