East West Jazz is primarily intended as a philosophical, emotional and contemplative journey rather than as a didactic presentation. The show explores the thinking and creativity of the artists exhibited in order to shed light on the origins of their abstract approach and on the connections between Eastern traditions and Western modern art.

For many artists, the diffusion of oriental art in the early 20^th century completely overturned the canons of beauty inherited from Greco-Roman times. As a result, they turned towards new artistic horizons that opened up possibilities for alternative colour combinations, spatial arrangements and perspectives characteristic of oriental art, as well as an abstract perception of reality particular to this art. The artists assimilated these influences each in their own way, while at the same time renewing the decorative qualities of oriental art.

Alongside historical works of post-war abstraction (Hans Hartung, Jean Bazaine, Nicolas de Staël, Victor Vasarely, Simon Hantaï), the Fondation Gandur pour l’Art is also lending a group of artworks from the movement Supports/Surfaces (Claude Viallat, Patrick Saytour and Jean-Pierre Pincemin), in response to the Pushkin Museum's desire to introduce its visitors to the last avant-garde movement of the 20^th century.

Artworks from the host institution and from the Centre Pompidou complete the exhibition.

Press release