JEAN RUSTIN

Jean Rustin (1928–2013) was a French artist whose oeuvre underwent a remarkable transformation. Initially, in the 1950s and 1960s, he worked within the tradition of abstract art, in the spirit of the modernism that prevailed at the time. His early paintings, composed of planes, lines and textures, revealed a fascination with form and matter, with an almost spiritual quest for the essence of image and colour. This period brought him recognition within the international avant-garde, with exhibitions throughout Europe.

Nevertheless, in the 1970s, Rustin opted for a radical break: he abandoned abstraction entirely and turned to a raw, confrontational figuration. This transition was initially met with incomprehension in the art world, where abstraction was still considered a higher form of expression. But for Rustin, this step was not a stylistic choice, but an existential necessity. He began painting human figures in tranquil, often claustrophobic interiors — naked, vulnerable bodies that radiate confusion, loneliness and alienation.

In his figurative work, Rustin explores the human body as a vessel for pain, shame, desire and memory. His characters seem trapped in their own existence, caught in an atmosphere of oppressive silence. The canvases are painted in muted colours, with a sober but penetrating palette that reinforces the melancholy and psychological intensity. With this, Rustin placed himself outside the prevailing trends, in a universe entirely his own, reminiscent of the painting of Francis Bacon or even the mystical tranquillity of the old masters.

For Jean Rustin, the transition from abstraction to figuration did not represent a stylistic regression, but rather a deepening of his artistic and human quest. His work constitutes a unique, uncompromising confrontation with the human condition in its most naked form.

JEAN RUSTIN - DON'T LOOK AWAY

5 September - 24 November 2025

The exhibition JEAN RUSTIN - DON'T LOOK AWAY will be on display from 5 September.