Olivier Mosset

Olivier Mosset has spent considerable time in New York and Paris. In Paris in the 1960s he was a member of the BMPT (art group), along with Daniel Buren, Michel Parmentier, and Niele Toroni,{{cite book |title=France |last=Williams |first=Nicola |page= 55 |year=2005 |publisher=Lonely Planet |isbn=978-1-74059-923-8 }} their initials reflected in their collective acronym. The group questioned notions of authorship and originality, implying that they often did each other's works, and that the art object was more important than its authorship. They sought to democratize art through their radical procedures and by repeating a specific compositional device across multiple grounds: Mosset focused on the circle, which he painted in some two hundred iterations between 1966 and 1974.{{Cite web |title=2008 WHITNEY BIENNIAL |url=https://whitney.org/www/2008biennial/www/index.php?section=artists&page=artist_mosset |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=whitney.org}} As a young artist, Mosset was an assistant to both Jean Tinguely and Daniel Spoerri.Schmerler, Sarah.[http://www.artinamericamagazine.com/reviews/olivier-mosset/ "Olivier Mosset"] Art in America, Retrieved 21 February 2014. In the Fall 1968 edition of "The Paris Review" appeared "Reproductions of five paintings by Olivier Mosset." The five halftone photogravures of paintings of concentric circles centered on square grounds, reproduced the same size, looked identical.Paris Review Vol 11, No 44, Fall 1968, pp 102-107{{Cite news |last=Mosset |first=Olivier |date=1968 |title=Five Paintings |language=en |volume=Fall 1968 |issue=44 |url=https://www.theparisreview.org/art-photography/4259/five-paintings-olivier-mosset |access-date=2023-02-23 |issn=0031-2037}}

Later, in New York in the late 1970s, Mosset undertook a long series of monochrome paintings, during the heyday of Neo-expressionism. He became a founding member of the New York Radical Painting group, radical referring both to an implied radical social stance, as well as a returning to the radical “root” of painting. This re-assertion of social relevance for abstraction, and even the monochrome, hadn't been emphasized to such a degree since Kazimir Malevich and Alexander Rodchenko.

In the 1980s neo-geo artists, such as Peter Halley who asserted a socially relevant, critical role for geometric abstraction, cited Mosset as an influence.

Mosset represented Switzerland at the 44th Venice Biennale in 1990 and participated in the Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art in New York in 2008.{{Cite web |title=2008 WHITNEY BIENNIAL |url=https://whitney.org/www/2008biennial/www/index.php?section=artists&page=artist_mosset |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=whitney.org}}

In 2007, Olivier Mosset donated 171 works from his own collection to the Musée des Beaux-Arts de La Chaux-de-Fonds (MBAC) in Switzerland.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-06 |title=The Olivier Mosset collection |url=https://www.mbac.ch/en/collections/olivier-mosset-collection/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Musée des beaux-arts La Chaux-de-Fonds |language=en-US}}

In 2012 the artist created stage designs for a ballet, entitled Sous Apparence, at the Paris Opera Ballet.Sulcas, Rosyln.[https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/03/arts/a-shining-star-at-the-paris-opera-ballet.html?_r=0 "A Shining Star at the Paris Opera Ballet"] The New York Times, Retrieved 21 February 2014.

Mosset's works are in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre national d'art et de culture Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Musée d'Art Moderne et Contemporain (MAMCO) in Geneva, and the Musée Cantonal des Beaux-Arts in Lausanne, among other public collections.

Mosset is inspired by abstract, conceptual, and minimalist art. He is well-recognized for his monochrome, shaped, minimalist paintings, in particular the series of over 200 oil paintings that were all identical.{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset: Looking Beyond the Painting |url=https://whitehotmagazine.com/articles/olivier-mosset-looking-beyond-painting/5174 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art |language=en}} Those paintings Mosset realized from 1966 to 1974 all consist of a square white canvas measuring 100 cm by 100 cm, with a black circle painted in the middle. Three of those identical paintings have been shown together by the Pinault Collection: "A black ring in the center of a square canvas breaks the harmony of an immaculate surface."{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset {{!}} Pinault Collection |url=https://lesoeuvres.pinaultcollection.com/en/artist/olivier-mosset |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=lesoeuvres.pinaultcollection.com}}{{Cite web |title=Sans titre {{!}} Pinault Collection |url=https://lesoeuvres.pinaultcollection.com/en/artwork/sans-titre-5 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=lesoeuvres.pinaultcollection.com}}

Olivier Mosset coats his surfaces evenly with semigloss enamel - not so thick, however, that it entirely conceals the slub of the canvas beneath it - a big one all black, a smaller one all white. The hard enamel creates a shiny plane so light-catching that it tends to dematerialize as you look at it.{{Cite news |last=Glueck |first=Grace |date=1983-02-18 |title=NEW YORK IS A GALLERY OF THE BEST BY LIVING ARTISTS |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/18/arts/new-york-is-a-gallery-of-the-best-by-living-artists-238499.html |access-date=2023-02-25 |issn=0362-4331}}

Mosset developed his own style, sometimes even using objects or walls{{Cite web |last=GG |title=Olivier Mosset {{!}} Zérodeux / 02 |url=https://www.zerodeux.fr/reviews/olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-26 |language=fr-FR}} he transformed into monochrome paintings. One such example, as he recalled in an interview, was notably a fridge, consisting of two canvases with the same dimensions as a refrigerator and freezer compartment. Mosset mentioned an interesting fact: “I remember that the fridge I used for the work came from a piece by Bertrand Lavier, which was also shown at the gallery, in which Bertrand had placed the fridge on something else, a safe or something like that…”{{Cite web |title=A MEETING WITH OLIVIER MOSSET - CRASH Magazine |url=https://www.crash.fr/a-meeting-with-olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.crash.fr}}{{Cite web |title=Bertrand Lavier {{!}} Biography |url=https://www.mutualart.com/Artist/Bertrand-Lavier/A7FCB6EAEBD4AF7E/Biography |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.mutualart.com |language=en}}

Mosset is also well known for his sculptures. From 1993 onwards he has created "Toblerones", which are meant to reference the Swiss anti-tank barrages and are also known worldwide as a type of chocolate of a very specific triangular shape by the name Toblerone. He exhibited a large selection of his Toblerones at his 2003 retrospective at the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts in Lausanne.Stroun, Fabrice.[http://www.frieze.com/issue/review/olivier_mosset/ "Olivier Mosset"] Frieze, Retrieved 21 January 2014. In 2003, Mosset also created a version of Toberlones in ice for Eispavillon (Ice Pavilion) in Saas-Fee, Switzerland, presented the following year in 2004, at Art Unlimited in Art Basel.[https://web.archive.org/web/20030502084649/http://eispavillon.com/ "eispavillion exhibition - Olivier Mosset"] In 2014, the artist re-created a version of his Toblerones in ice again for the Elevation 1049 exhibition in Gstaad.[http://moussemagazine.it/elevation1049-gstaad-switzerland/ "Elevation 1049: Between Heaven and Hell"] Mousse Contemporary Art Magazine, Retrieved 21 February 2014.

• Museum of Modern Art, New York, U.S.A.[http://www.moma.org/collection/browse_results.php?criteria=O%3AAD%3AE%3A4125%7CA%3AAR%3AE%3A1&page_number=&template_id=6&sort_order=1 "The Collection: Olivier Mosset"] Retrieved 21 February 2014.
• Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France[http://www.centrepompidou.fr/cpv/ressource.action?param.id=FR_R-5435a88e7dd2e2f306b1e21f3ba1440¶m.idSource=FR_P-5435a88e7dd2e2f306b1e21f3ba1440 "Centre Pompidou Virtuel - Olivier Mosset"] Retrieved 21 February 2014
• Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris (MAM Paris), Paris, France{{Cite web |title=(Sans titre) {{!}} Paris Musées |url=https://www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr/fr/musee-d-art-moderne/oeuvres/sans-titre-322#infos-principales |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.parismuseescollections.paris.fr}}
• Museum of modern art, Ludwig Foundation, Vienna (MUMOK,)  in Vienna, Austria{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.mumok.at/en/olivier-mosset |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.mumok.at |language=en}}
• Migros Museum of Contemporary Art, Zürich, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Collection |url=https://migrosmuseum.ch/en/collection |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Migros Museum für Gegenwartskunst |language=en}}
• Mercedes-Benz Art Collection, Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany{{Cite web |title=Mercedes-Benz Art Collection |url=https://www.mercedes-benz.art/artwork/untitled-olivier-mosset-1974/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Mercedes-Benz Art Collection |language=de-DE}}
• Buffalo AKG Art Museum, Buffalo, NY, U.S.A{{Cite web |title=Untitled {{!}} Buffalo AKG Art Museum |url=https://buffaloakg.org/artworks/201126-untitled |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=buffaloakg.org}}
• Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts, Lausanne, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Pink Star |url=https://www.mcba.ch/en/collection/pink-star/ |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts |language=en-GB}}
• Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon (MAC), Lyon, France{{Cite web |title=Search results {{!}} Musée d'art contemporain |url=https://www.mac-lyon.com/en/recherche?search_api_fulltext=olivier+mosset |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.mac-lyon.com}}
• MAMCO, Geneva, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=MAMCO Genève - Collection - Catalogue - Olivier Mosset, Sans titre, 1974 |url=https://www.mamco.ch/1017/Catalogue/4069/Olivier-Mosset-Sans-titre-1974 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.mamco.ch}}
• Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.hauskonstruktiv.ch/kunstler/olivier-mosset |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.hauskonstruktiv.ch}}
• National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset Yellow Wall, National Gallery of Canada, 2013 |url=https://www.gallery.ca/collection/artwork/yellow-wall}}
• Musée des Beaux Arts, La Chaux-De-Fonds, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Search |url=https://www.mbac.ch/en |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Musée des beaux-arts La Chaux-de-Fonds |language=en-US}}

• 1990 Olivier Mosset represented the Swiss Pavilion at the 44th Venice Biennale
• 1993 Le Consortium, Dijon, France{{Cite web |title=1993 Olivier Mosset Solo Exhibition, Le Consortium, Dijon, France |url=https://www.leconsortium.fr/en/olivier-mosset}}
• 1994 Olivier Mosset, Musée cantonal des beaux arts, Sion, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset, Musée cantonal des beaux-arts, Sion, Switzerland |url=https://www.posters.nb.admin.ch/discovery/fulldisplay/alma991000673469703978/41SNL_53_INST:posters?lang=fr}}
• 1996 MAMCO, Geneva, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=MAMCO Genève - Expositions - Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.mamco.ch/1207/Olivier-Mosset |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.mamco.ch}}
• 1999 Centro d'Arte Contemporanea Ticino, Bellinzona, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.cacticino.net/mostre/olivier-mosset-2/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=MACT/CACT Arte Contemporanea Ticino |language=it-IT}}
• 2004 Carré d'Art, Musée d'Art Contemporain, Nîmes, France{{Cite web |title=olivier mosset - Expositions |url=https://www.carreartmusee.com/fr/expositions/olivier-mosset-80 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Carré d’Art |language=fr}}
• 2010 Olivier Mosset, “A Step Backwards,” Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon (MAC), Lyon, France{{Cite web |title=A Step Backwards / Bob's Kitchen... {{!}} Musée d'art contemporain |url=https://www.mac-lyon.com/en/programmation/step-backwards-bobs-kitchen |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=www.mac-lyon.com}}
• 2011 “Born in Berne” Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset |url=https://kunsthalle-bern.ch/en/exhibitions/2011/olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Kunsthalle Bern |language=en}}
• 2012 “Olivier Mosset ++ Leaving the Museum,” Kunshtalle Zürich, Züritch, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset ++ Leaving the Museum - Announcements - e-flux |url=https://www.e-flux.com/announcements/34270/olivier-mosset-leaving-the-museum/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.e-flux.com |language=en}}
• 2012 Olivier Mosset at Indipendenza Studio, Rome, Italy{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset at INDIPENDENZA Studio, Rome |url=https://www.contemporaryartlibrary.org/project/olivier-mosset-at-indipendenza-studio-rome-7147 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Contemporary Art Library |language=en}}
• 2017 “Abstraction” by Olivier Mosset Jean-Paul Najar Foundation, Dubai, United Arab Emirates{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Felicity |title='Abstraction' By Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/felicitycarter/2017/12/03/abstraction-by-olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Forbes |language=en}}
• 2018 “Untitled” by Olivier Mosset, MAMO Centre d'art de la cité Radieuse, Marseille, France{{Cite web |last=Fused |date=2018-06-29 |title=OLIVIER MOSSET " UNTITLED " |url=https://www.fusedmagazine.co.uk/olivier-mosset-untitled/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=Fused Magazine |language=en-US}}
• 2019 Museum Haus Konstruktiv, Zürich, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset, 2019 |url=https://www.hauskonstruktiv.ch/shop/product/olivier-mosset-2019 |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.hauskonstruktiv.ch}}
• 2020 Olivier Mosset retrospective, 60 years of artwork, MAMCO, Geneva, Switzerland{{Cite web |title=MAMCO Genève - Expositions - Olivier Mosset |url=https://www.mamco.ch/1607/Olivier-Mosset |access-date=2023-02-24 |website=www.mamco.ch}}
• 2021 “Olivier Mosset, a Contemplative & Mystifying Exhibition of the Artist’s Expansive Body of Work,” Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A.{{Cite web |title=Olivier Mosset – Tucson Museum of Art |url=https://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/exhibition/olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Tucson Museum of Art Presents OLIVIER MOSSET, a Contemplative & Mystifying Exhibition of the Artist’s Expansive Body of Work – Tucson Museum of Art |url=https://www.tucsonmuseumofart.org/press/tucson-museum-of-art-presents-olivier-mosset-a-contemplative-mystifying-exhibition-of-the-artists-expansive-body-of-work/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |language=en-US}}
• 2023 "Olivier Mosset, San Carlo PG" Cremona, Italy.{{Cite web |title=SAN CARLO |url=https://www.sancarlocremona.com/en-2-ex-ok.php |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.sancarlocremona.com}}

• 1967 Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris "Salon de la Jeune Peinture"{{Cite web |title=The Riddle of May '68: Collectivity and Protest in the Salon de la Jeune Peinture |url=https://academic.oup.com/oaj/article/35/1/53/1477496}}
• 1992 MOMA PS1 “Slow Art: Painting in New York Now”{{Cite web |title=Slow Art: Painting in New York Now {{!}} MoMA |url=https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/4565 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Museum of Modern Art |language=en}}
• 2005 MOMA PS1 “The Painted World”{{Cite web |title=The Painted World {{!}} MoMA |url=https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/4840 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=The Museum of Modern Art |language=en}}
• 2008 Whitney Biennial, at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY{{Cite web |title=2008 WHITNEY BIENNIAL |url=https://whitney.org/www/2008biennial/www/index.php?section=artists&page=artist_mosset |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=whitney.org}}  
• 2008 “John Armleder and Olivier Mosset” at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, U.S.A.{{Cite web |title=John Armleder and Olivier Mosset" at the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis |url=https://camstl.org/exhibitions/john-armleder-and-olivier-mosset/}}
• 2014 Manifesta 10, the European Biennial of Contemporary Art, at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia{{Cite web |title=Artists - Manifesta10 |url=http://manifesta10.org/en/artists/olivier-mosset/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=manifesta10.org}}
• 2021  Collection Pinault, “Au-delà de la couleur” (“Beyond Colour”) exhibition at the Couvent des Jacobins in Rennes, France

• [http://www.sikart.ch/KuenstlerInnen.aspx?id=4002296&lng=de Olivier Mosset] on Sikart.ch
• [https://www.gagosian.com/artists/olivier-mosset Olivier Mosset at Gagosian Gallery]

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Category:Contemporary painters

Category:Living people

Category:1944 births

Category:Swiss contemporary artists

Category:Artists from Bern