Joseph Rivière

JOSEPH RIVIERE (Tours, 1912-Paris, 1961).
"Les combattants.
Polyester.
Measurements: 230 x 29 x 40 cm.
Exhibitions: "European sculpture of the 20th century", European Museum of Modern Art (MEAM), Barcelona, 2014.

With "Les combattants", Joseph Rivière takes his exploration of existentialism and movement to the extreme, using an almost architectural scale that challenges the viewer's perception. The two figures are intertwined in a struggle that seems to have no end. Verticality here does not represent a spiritual ascent, but an agonizing tension. It is man against man, or man against his own shadow. Rivière simplifies the bodies. The limbs are elongated and tapered, becoming lines of force. This accentuates the sense that we are not seeing two real people, but the essence of the conflict. The use of the open spaces between the bodies is masterful. The air is part of the sculpture, underlining the fragility of these figures that support each other in their own destruction.
Rivière was a French sculptor who developed his artistic maturity in post-war Paris. His work evolved from an early classicism towards more tormented and dynamic forms. He is often associated with the current that sought to represent the human condition after the traumas of World War II. His works are in important French public collections, and he is recognized for his ability to capture extreme movement.