Claude Rutault

Claude Rutault was born in Trois-Moutiers, France, in 1941. He passed away in 2022 in Boulogne-Billancourt, France.

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First and foremost a painter, Rutault however doesn’t stress the importance of painting his works himself, nor does he necessarily participate in the supervision of their realisation.

Since the 1970s, the artist has pushed the limits of minimalism and conceptualism with his radical approach, in which the founding principle consists of a set of written instructions called “definitions / methods” for the receiver or “taker” of his work (a collector, a curator, an institution or a museum).

These rules and procedures may determine colour, format and material to be used, as well as the way in which the work is to be sold or auctioned. The initial “definition / method” was created in 1973, and formed the defining rule for hundreds of unique works that followed its conception: “A canvas stretched on a painted frame in the same colour as the wall on which it is hung.”
– Definition / Method 1. “Single Canvas “1973.

With this principle, nearly absolute in character, Rutault opens up a vast spectrum of reflections on art: on its conception, on its creation process, on its execution, on its destination and its conservation. Although the “definition / method”-practice seems objective and methodical, it ignites interaction among all parties involved and raises questions regarding trust, participation and responsibility. However, by following specific rules, the « taker » may also change the colour of his painting, change the colour of the wall or move the whole installation. This generates unexpected versions of the work, variations that must be communicated to the artist – who therefore partly gives up control over his works, allowing them to change over time and pursuing their own lives.