L'Inachevée

Fascinated by the worlds that lie within scientific imagery, Wols grounded his artworks in microscopic observation. The coiling energy and painterly intricacy of L’Inachevée suggest a node, nucleus, or other organic life-giving center. Yet the work resists any clearly identifiable subject matter. As the artist memorably remarked, “Wols is sincerely fond of the matter which surrounds us.”In 1932 Wols defected from Germany to Paris and found artistic community with like-minded Surrealists. When France entered World War II, he was interned as a German national and came to embody the nationless artist of modern Europe, suspended between allegiances. After his death, Wols was embraced as a pioneering influence on a wide-ranging group of artists who rejected traditional notions of order and composition. Instead, these artists prioritized unstructured and gestural painting, which came to be called Art Informel.