Raoul De Keyser: Terminus Format: Hardback

For nearly fifty years, Raoul De Keyser (1930–2012) created subtly evocative paintings and works on paper that appear at once straightforward and cryptic, abstract and figurative. Composed of basic but indefinable shapes and marks, his compositions often invoke spatial and figural illusions, though they remain elusive of any descriptive narrative. Despite—or precisely because of—their sparse gesturing, his works convey a grandeur that inspires prolonged contemplation; their apparent simplicity belied a lengthy gestation period, which was guided largely by intuition. Terminus: Drawings (1979–1982) and Recent Paintings is a beautifully designed and produced catalogue that brings De Keyser’s singular touch to life. Originating from his 2009 solo exhibition at David Zwirner in New York, the publication reproduces fifty works, encompassing a suite of drawings from 1979 to 1982 and recent paintings from 2000 to 2009. Beyond the publication’s stunning, full-color reproductions, it also includes a selection of installation views and scholarship by acclaimed art historian Robert Storr.

For nearly fifty years, Raoul De Keyser (1930-2012) created subtly evocative paintings and works on paper which appear at once straightforward and cryptic, abstract and figurative. Composed of basic but indefinable shapes and marks, his works often invoke spatial and figural illusions, though they remain elusive of any descriptive narrative. Despite—or precisely because of—their sparse gesturing, De Keyser’s works convey a grandeur that inspires prolonged contemplation. Individually as well as collectively, his works revolve around the activity of painting, but also move beyond its physical means to become more than the sum of their parts. Their apparent simplicity belies a lengthy gestation period, which is guided largely by intuition, rather than by following a pre-existing plan.