Pierre Alechinsky: CoBrA artist and contemporary master
Pierre Alechinsky is the last active CoBrA artist. Pierre Alechinsky was born in Brussels in 1927 and is still working in his studio just outside Paris today, continuing to shape the legacy of Alechinsky within contemporary art.
Alechinsky and the CoBrA movement
Back in the day, Pierre Alechinsky was the CoBrA movement’s youngest member (the benjamin) and organiser of the last official CoBrA exhibition in Liège in 1951. Alechinsky played a key role in the development and visibility of the CoBrA movement.
The signature style of Alechinsky
Pierre Alechinsky’s pictorial and graphic work distinguishes itself through its lyrical character and the liveliness of the brush. Alechinsky’s work clearly reflects influences from oriental calligraphy and literature, which have become defining elements of the Alechinsky style.
Alechinsky and the influence of calligraphy
Pierre Alechinsky found a way to free himself from the slow and sometimes rigid oil-on-canvas techniques after meeting Walasse Ting in the early 1950s and following his trip to Japan in 1955—where Alechinsky made a film about Japanese calligraphy. This experience led Pierre Alechinsky to discover the flexibility and fluidity of India ink, and later acrylic paint on paper, which he interpreted in a highly personal way. Alechinsky would literally move around the paper—often crumpling it first and placing it on the floor—while creating fast and energetic brushstrokes using Chinese and Japanese brushes. The paper was then mounted onto canvas using the marouflage technique. Pierre Alechinsky often surrounded the central composition with border elements, a feature that became highly characteristic of Alechinsky’s work from the mid-1960s.
Collaborations and artistic influence
Pierre Alechinsky’s working method was also influenced by his close collaboration with Christian Dotremont, one of the founders of CoBrA. This exchange played an important role in shaping Alechinsky’s artistic direction.
Alechinsky’s role within CoBrA
Pierre Alechinsky played a strong organisational and unifying role within the CoBrA group. He was appointed technical director of the final “2ième Exposition Internationale d’Art Expérimental, CoBrA” at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Liège in 1951. Since the dissolution of CoBrA, Pierre Alechinsky has continued to act as a guardian of its legacy, ensuring accurate historiography and interpretation of what Dotremont described as a “legend.”
International recognition of Alechinsky
Over the years, Pierre Alechinsky has built an exceptionally rich body of work, leading to strong international recognition. Alechinsky has received numerous awards, including becoming the first Belgian artist to receive the Praemium Imperiale in 2018 in Tokyo.
