The Evolution of Geometric Abstraction
Jo Delahaut was a Belgian painter and visual artist who emerged as a prominent figure in geometric abstraction. After studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Liège under Auguste Mambour, his early work in 1940 focused on expressionist canvases. As his practice evolved, he moved toward constructing static geometric forms where the color of surfaces played a primary role. His approach to abstraction became increasingly radical, eventually reaching a level of purity comparable to the American "hard edge" and minimalism movements.
His work sought to engage the intellect through a dialectic relationship between form and color. Delahaut utilized plane geometry because he believed it was highly representative of humanity, offering a clarity that was intuitively comprehensible. He viewed the painter as a poet who uses the field of colors to expand time and space, aiming to coincide with a sense of the infinite.
Artistic Contributions and Affiliations
Throughout his career, Delahaut was deeply integrated into the Belgian and international art scenes. He was a member of the Jeune Peinture group in Brussels and a founding member of the Belgian Art Abstrait group in 1952. His involvement in the avant-garde included being a member of the Salon des réalités nouvelles in Paris and co-authoring the Manifeste spatialiste in 1954.
His diverse body of work includes various media and public installations, such as:
