NORTH SALEM, N.Y. – Lift Trucks Project in Croton Falls is unveiling an exhibit of abstract paintings by French surrealist Christian Lemesle this weekend.
The opening will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. at the gallery and artist space, which is located at 3 East Cross Road in the North Salem hamlet.
Born on July 10, 1932 in Paris, Lemesle was a renowned painter and collage artist whose works were “deeply influenced” by surrealism, says the gallery’s owner and artist Tom Christopher.
Part of the “vibrant art scene of the 1950s,” and in the “midst of acclaim for towering figures like Picasso,” Lemesle’s “unique approach” gained him widespread recognition, noted Christopher.
This led to exhibitions at the Salon de Mai in Paris in 1961. In 1960, Lemesle was awarded the prestigious Prix Fénéon.
Established in 1949 by Fanny Fénéon, the widow of French art critic Félix Fénéon., the prize is awarded annually to a French-language writer and a visual artist no older than 35.
Lemesle was the second husband of esteemed Haitian painter and collage artist Luce Turnier.
Lift Trucks is “thrilled” to be able to exhibit some of Lemesle’s “masterpieces and (to) celebrate the legacy of this influential artist who, despite living in the shadows of giants, emerged as a luminary in his own right,” Christopher said.
Lemesle’s art was showcased at Galerie du Dragon in Paris. Founded in 1955 by the poet Max Clarac-Serou, the gallery played a pivotal role in promoting new artists and in “cultivating a vibrant artistic community,” according to Andrea Nuti, a curator and art dealer in Paris.
The Galerie du Dragon closed in 1995.
The area where the Galerie du Dragon was located was the center of literary activities. Its “significance” is further accentuated by its association with the La Librairie du Temps (BookStore of Time), as depicted in a Lemesle work that features a large clock, Nuti said.
Some pieces in the Lift Trucks exhibit bear the gallery’s label, while others trace their provenance to David Findlay Gallery in New York City.