Seeing Matisse in Riehen, Switzerland

Jun 30

Seeing Matisse in Riehen, Switzerland

MATISSE IN BASEL: AN INVITATION TO COLOR, CALM & VOLUPTÉ
Fondation Beyeler | Sept 22, 2024 – Jan 26, 2025

I stepped into a dream of color and cadence at the Fondation Beyeler, where Matisse – Invitation to the Voyage unfolded as one of Europe’s most luminous exhibitions of 2024. In the heart of Riehen/Basel, over 70 works traced Henri Matisse’s evolution from rule-breaking Fauvist to poetic master of paper cut-outs.

This wasn’t just an exhibition - it was a journey of the senses and the soul. Borrowing its title from Charles Baudelaire’s 1857 poem, the show radiated with the spirit of “luxe, calme et volupté”—luxury, calm, and pleasure - a fitting mantra for Matisse’s visual symphonies. As I moved from room to room, I felt completely mesmerized by the radiant intensity of his colors, the elegant simplicity of form, and the emotional clarity of each piece.

There was excitement in seeing early works like La Desserte (1896–97), awe in front of the blazing Fauvist masterpiece Luxe, Calme et Volupté (1904), and a deep, unexpected emotion that rose while standing before the cut-outs - especially Blue Nude I (1952) and Acanthuses (1953), which felt like distilled joy. I was touched by how Matisse created such vibrant beauty even in his final, fragile years, and inspired by his constant reinvention. The entire experience left me feeling radiant—as if I had absorbed some of his light and carried it home with me.

Thank you Valda Bailey for taking me there!!
www.fondationbeyeler.ch/en/beyeler-collection