The Swiss artist Peter Pfosi, originating from the canton of Grisons, whose centenary will be celebrated in Thonex/Geneva (where his studio still exists) as well as in Zuoz, the birth place of the painter in High Engadine, surprises us one more time with a series of original portraits, worth to belong to famous museum collections. The model of some of them is the artist’s wife.

Perfectly right and accurate, sketched with a few essential brush lines, they have a strong expressive power, showing audacious colours and contrasts : green for the face, the neck and the bust; yellow or violet, punctuated with red, orange or black for the hairs on a violet or black background, one can only react to such an audacity and liberty. It emanates from these portraits, with a potent character, although reduced to some flat tints of colours and lines well executed, an authentic presence. Author of an original theory of the colours and holding to his principles, Peter Pfosi expresses though these works, “the maximum with a minimum of means”.

This know-how is also current in the watercolours of Bretagne, he is approaching in two different ways, one composed with lines with vibrant colours, the other one with coloured spots. Fascinated by the Côtes d’Armor fringed with pink rocks, the artist, for having resided many times there, used to place his easel in the heart of this wild nature, so as to let himself become saturated by this tonic oceanic climate. He translated his emotions on the paper. We find the strength of the gesture, but also the poetry of the trace, the particular light of this privileged place, marine atmosphere and of course the famous rocks. Among them is the “Dé” of Trégastel, proudly erected, dominating the Ocean, however fragile observer. Here and there, it is a characteristic Breton house, hidden in the massifs of hydrangeas, a fishing boat run aground on the red sand beach, a lake shore. The artist succeeds with a few coloured strokes to translate these taking sceneries. With as much talent he paints with coloured spots, with a total freedom, detached from realism.
Discoveries after discoveries, Peter Pfosi doesn’t cease to astonish us and the present exhibition expresses the excellence of his talent.

Peter Pfosi (Basle 1913 – Geneva 2004), lives between Zuoz, Geneva (where he settles in 1945) and Paris where he is regularly visiting the studio of his cousin Alberto Giacometti. He studies the drawing in Basel, architecture at EPFL in Zurich before coming to Geneva where he is teaching at the Fien Arts School (1966-1980). Main exhibitions in Switzerland, namely in Zurich, Chur, Geneva (Museum of Athénée, Halles de l’Ile). Retrospective exhibition in Zuoz in 1993 (transmission on TSR, DRS, TSI). Numerous works in public and private Swiss collections.





Dr.Danielle Junod-Sugnaux

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	Peter Pfosi