Fernand Léger «Le beau est partout»

Centre d’art Georges Pompidou

«Painter of the city who bore witness to the changes taking place in his own epoch, Fernand Léger is one of the most celebrated figures of modernity. From cubism to his commitment to communism, Léger’s painting remains associated with a vision of humanity transfigured by the machine and mass production. However, over and above these powerful images, his work is at one and the same time diverse and coherent, free from categories and from movements.
“Beauty is not codified or classified, beauty is all around, in the order of a set of saucepans on the white wall of a kitchen as well as in a museum” (L’Esthétique de la machine, l’ordre géométrique et le vrai, 1923). Fernand Léger’s catchphrase rings out like a hymn to the freedom of observation, refusing any conventional taste or established hierarchy between the fine arts and everyday life. The artist perceives the aesthetic power of modern life, vibrant and colourful, and the extraordinary challenge it represents for artists.» [read more]