Along with Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse is known as one of the greatest modern artists. He is most famous for his works such as Blue Nude II (Nu Bleu II) and The Snail (L’escargot). However, he is also well-recognized for his use of vigorous colors. Cut-outs were not what Henri Matisse had created throughout his entire life, but an outcome of his illness later in life, being unable to sit properly or draw as he wanted to do. Throughout his life, Matisse was a painter, sculptor, and illustrator. Marking the 70th anniversary of Matisse’s death, a special exhibition, Matisse: Love and Jazz is being held at the Seoul CxC Museum.

As Matisse said in his book Notes d'un Peintre (Notes of a Painter), “What I dream of is an art of balance, purity, and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter... a soothing, calming influence on the mind, something like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.” This shows that he wanted viewers to find comfort in appreciating his art. Indeed, despite the bright and fancy colors he used in his works, looking at the masterpieces Matisse made gives viewers a mere sense of comfort and calmness.

Introducing Henri Matisse

Henri Matisse (1869-1954) was born in Le Cateau-Cambrésis, located in Northern France. He originally planned to become, and became, a court administrator, studying law in Paris and gaining his qualification. After he came down with appendicitis, his mother brought him art supplies during his recovery. He immediately felt a strong inclination towards art and decided to become an artist. His passion for art and the influence of earlier masters can be seen through the works he went into debt to buy. These works include a plaster bust by Auguste Rodin, a drawing by Vincent Van Gough, and Paul Cezanne’s Three Bathers. In his early works, Matisse adopted divisionism, a type of painting characterized by the separation of colors into individual dots or patches that interact optically.

Matisse was also known as the leader of Fauvism, meaning “wild beasts” in French. Fauvism adopted techniques that focused on the painting itself by using strong colors rather than the representational or realistic values that were emphasized by Impressionists. Even after the Fauvism movement faded away, Matisse still managed to secure a highly recognized career. He actively interacted and collaborated with other contemporary masters of art, including Pablo Picasso. After undergoing major surgery, he became unable to paint and draw as he used to. His passion for art led him to create cut-outs, which the public remembers him for to this day.

The Exhibition Henri Matisse: Love and Jazz

The unique features of the exhibition held in Seoul CxC Museum provide viewers with a new experience of Matisse’s art. With multiple exhibition sections with different colors, viewers can easily perceive the type of art Matisse pursued throughout the different phases of his life. As Matisse adopted a wide range of art styles, tools, and forms, the radically different atmosphere of the exhibition site helps viewers appreciate the artworks better. From the simple drawings to the sculptures Matisse made, the exhibition reveals that the way of showing works is also practicing art. Media art also changes the point of view of appreciating the works of Matisse, bringing life into the paintings of Matisse as if it were a short video. Viewers can go into an independent room that shows Matisse’s work for a couple of minutes, forgetting for a moment that they are in an exhibition.

The Seoul CxC Museum also collaborated with *Maison Matisse*, a lifestyle boutique Henri Matisse’s great-great-grandson, Matthew Matisse, established. According to the CxC Museum, the goal of *Maison Matisse* is to reinterpret Henri Matisse’s work using rigorous and fluid colors in works such as flowerpots. It also introduces works besides paintings that Matisse did that are not yet widely known by the public. An example of this is the *Chapelle du Rosaire de Vence*, a chapel designed and decorated by Matisse. Vibrant colors used in the stained glass of the chapel are reproduced inside the museum, allowing people to feel the power of Matisse’s works in a different way.

The exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the death of Henri Matisse held in Seoul CxC Museum can be a pleasant experience of diving into the world of colors, leaving fatigue outside of the exhibition. Not only the colors but the various forms of art Matisse worked on will satisfy a wide range of people, from those who love pencil drawings to those who love the grandness of architecture. Henri Matisse, one of the masters of modern art, will invite viewers to a whole new experience.

Exhibition Information

Title: Henri Matisse: Love and Jazz

Venue: CxC Museum Seoul

Date: June 17 to December 31, 2023

Ticket Price: 18,000 KRW for adults