Twelve ways of Looking at a Painting: An Homage to Jean Helion and Le Grand Luxembourg?

An Homage to Jean Hélion and “Le Grand Luxembourg” This book accompanies the exhibition at the Lovejoy Library, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Installed October 17, 2013. Forward by Eric B. Barnett: In February 2013, The University Museum at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was approached by Glen Cebulash, Chair of the Department of Art and Art History at Wright State University, on behalf of the Midwest Paint Group. Individually and collectively, the twelve members of that group have been influenced by the work of the French artist, Jean Hélion. Mr. Cebulash expressed the group’s interest in creating a series of artworks in response to our Hélion painting. Through our conversations we came up with the idea of hosting a visual symposium in which the various artists present their work and establish what we hope is a visual dialogue among the artists that can be shared by a broader audience. SIUE is fortunate to have in our collection an important painting by Hélion entitled Le Grand Luxembourg. Joseph Cantor of Carmel, Indiana donated this painting to the University in 1965 through the efforts of Katherine Kuh who was responsible for assembling the original art collection of SIUE. This painting came to SIUE rolled as one would a large rug. Due to the size of the piece, it had to be stretched in situ. Le Grand Luxembourg is an important work because it marked the height of Hélion’s post-WWII departure from Universal Abstract painting and subsequent movement towards representational art.