Fabienne Verdier- Retables, Waddington Custot, London - Flipbook - Page 13
In contrast to church altarpieces, in which the back sides of the lateral
panels were also painted (often in grisaille), Fabienne Verdier’s secular altarpieces content themselves with presenting their front sides. She
does not borrow this form from religious history, be it in an attempt to
rejuvenate or regenerate it, but from art history. That Western art history
is linked to the history of religion is, however, an inescapable fact. And
like Serra’s sculpture, Verdier’s altarpieces are not only images to look at
but also experiences to undergo. Her lateral panels slightly brought back
towards the centre invite you to physically enter the image, its dance. The
image opens like a flower: it could close back up, you could close it back up,
and for this reason the invitation is all the more precious.
The gestures Fabienne Verdier has inscribed on these altarpieces are not
entirely new. One even has the impression that by tracing them on the altarpiece form, which is new for her, she is creating an anthology of her former
gestures. But what strikes me in this series is the intense emotion they
command. Drama is present. Even if it is joyous, it is nonetheless drama.
The altarpiece takes on a theatrical form, with something essential and
intensely poignant staged on its lively surface. Through the simple play of
proportion, energy, rhythm, and colour upon colour, a thought and indeed a
sentiment that no words can describe is materialised before our very eyes,
becoming almost tactile. Delacroix called this the silent power of painting.
Jean Frémon
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