About the Work
Mathieu Mercier quotes Piet Mondrian, in that he uses found everyday materials. Before it became an artwork, this wooden sheet served another purpose - although in Mercier's works it is seldom possible to reconstruct precisely what the previous purpose was. The artist processes the plywood with industrial products such as paint and black adhesive tape to produce a 'do-it-yourself' Mondrian. The horizontals and verticals, together with the geometrical areas in primary colours, are arranged on dirty white. The French artist quotes the Dutch painter, internalising his working method based on intuition and harmony. At the same time, through the different materials and the restless surface, a disarray arises which Mondrian aimed to avoid. Mercier intentionally creates irregular edges, frayed corners and messy lines. He demonstrates to us the omnipresence of Mondrian's formal language through his selection of tools from DIY stores.
