Photo : Pierre Schwartz
Daniel Dezeuze
Forget everything you thought you knew about traditional painting and dive into Daniel Dezeuze’s experimental world. From clever everyday material assemblages to the poetic exploration of negative space, these works offer a masterclass in modern creative freedom.
Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris (Paris 16th)
About
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris presents an exhibition dedicated to Daniel Dezeuze, a pivotal figure of the Supports/Surfaces movement. This event showcases the evolution of his artistic practice, defined by a radical challenge to traditional painting and a deep exploration of material fragility. Through the clever use of found objects, Dezeuze questions the very structure of the canvas. Located in the 16th arrondissement, the exhibition is free for everyone to attend. The museum is fully accessible to wheelchair users and provides specific accommodations for deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, and visually impaired visitors, as well as those with cognitive disabilities.
Son of the painter Georges Dezeuze (1905-2004), he freely attended classes at the Montpellier School of Fine Arts, where he met Arnal, Bioulès, Grand, Rouan, and Viallat. His time in Mexico in 1964-65 deeply influenced his painting, which was nourished by pre-Hispanic cultures. In North America, he then discovered the New York School, from Pollock to Rothko.
Settling in Paris in 1967, he developed the foundations of the Supports/Surfaces movement with Saytour and Viallat, leading a radical reflection on the future of painting. This questioning of the traditional structure of the painting led him to focus his work on the support itself. He then undertook a true "deconstruction" of the canvas viewed as an object, affirming the materialism of the works and the primacy of the creative process.
Dezeuze left the group in 1972 and pursued personal research centered on the construction of the painting, the fragility of materials, economy of means, and continuous experimentation.
Twenty recent works are now joining the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, an exceptional acquisition that allows his career to be traced since 1982. They bear witness to his taste for reuse (doors, panels, skis), assembly, color as a generator of forms, and the importance of void. References to art history (Mondrian), the Middle Ages, Mesoamerican cultures, or calligraphy permeate and nourish the entirety of his work over the last forty years.
Our take on this event
The artistic career of Daniel Dezeuze was shaped by his early years in Montpellier, his influential time in Mexico, and his move to Paris in 1967. As a co-founder of the Supports/Surfaces group alongside Saytour and Viallat, he deconstructed the painting process, treating the canvas as a physical object rather than a surface for representation. Since leaving the group in 1972, he has focused his work on structural experimentation and the use of modest materials.
The Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris currently highlights twenty recent acquisitions that trace Dezeuze's creative journey since 1982. The display emphasizes his preference for assembly and repurposing, incorporating items such as doors, wooden panels, and skis. His work reflects a lifetime of diverse influences, weaving together elements of art history, medieval aesthetics, and Mesoamerican cultures.
The exhibition runs from October 1, 2026, to January 3, 2027. You can visit from Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 18:00. Admission is free. The venue is fully accessible for wheelchair users, individuals with cognitive disabilities, and those who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, or visually impaired, with sign language services available.
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