Gilles Aillaud : Animal Politique

Exhibition at the Centre Pompidou, Paris, 4 October 2023 - 26 February 2024

Gilles Aillaud (1928-2005) became a painter because he was unable to become a philosopher, but he managed to integrate philosophy into his artistic work. When asked why he chose to paint almost exclusively animals, Gilles Aillaud replied "because I love them". Leaving us to believe that he was depicting animals, it is our relationship with nature that stands out as his only true subject.

This catalogue from the Centre Pompidou retrospective presents some forty paintings from 1969 to 2000, as well as lithographs from his Encyclopédie de tous les animaux, including minerals, paying tribute to one of the most significant artists of his time.