Guy de Rougemont

The work

5 cylindres polychromes
(5 polychrome cylinders)
2000
190 x 20 cm
Lacquered PVC and adhesive sheets

At first glance, the five polychrome cylinders evoke a group of primitive totems: columns or vertical elements that so-called primitive peoples placed with magical signs in specific locations to mark their territory, warn or scare off potential intruders or invaders, and frighten them with the magical religious power of their cultures.
Now they have become PVC tubes covered with adhesive plastic with geometric shapes based on the square, a surface that, together with the circle, has a long symbolic tradition. The colors are flat and reduced to red, light green, two blues, light and dark, yellow, black, and white.

The artist

(Paris, 1935 – Montpeller, 2021)

Guy de Rougemont placed similar groups of cylinders in public spaces, squares, bridges, and roads. It is a very simple vertical geometric volume covered by a single geometric shape, the square, which incorporates various combinations of yellow, green, blue, and black colors.
De Rougemont developed a highly visual art that demands the public’s attention both for its monumentalism and its chromatic vividness.
He worked in tune with trends such as optical art and pop art, sharing their interest in visual impact, repetition, and pure color.
A very important part of his career was developed in public spaces: monumental sculptures for train stations, hospitals, and roundabouts; furniture such as tables, rugs, and benches, where design becomes a natural extension of his plastic work; integration of art into urban space, designed to bring beauty and color to everyday life.