Kunstmuseum Den Haag

CoBrA and Chaissac 

Self-taught artist Gaston Chaissac (1910-1964) lived a reclusive life far from the cultural metropolis of Paris. Yet his expressive drawings, paintings, and sculptures, with their vibrant colours and black contours, did not go unnoticed. Though he never joined any art movement, the similarity to Cobra is obvious.

This movement grew out of the post-war zeitgeist, as artists broke with older tradition in pursuit of new modern art for all, in which spontaneity, authenticity, and honesty were key. A shared interest in naïve art and folk art, and the use of motifs like snakes and totems, brought these kindred spirits together.

Though they appreciated his work, and he theirs, Chaissac never met the members of Cobra. Their dialogue was indirect, conducted through magazines and galleries in Paris. It is now being explored for the first time in a museum show, as Kunstmuseum Den Haag shows Cobra in a new light.

8 mei 2021 - 19 september 2021

Kunstmuseum Den Haag
Stadhouderslaan 41
Den Haag
kunstmuseum.nl