BERNARD AUBERTIN — Vernissage Invitation, Galerie J & J Donguy / Lotta Poetica, Paris, 1983

Original invitation issued for Bernard Aubertin’s 1983 vernissage at Galerie J & J Donguy, Paris, announcing the simultaneous presentation of a special issue of Sarenco’s Lotta Poetica devoted to the artist. Printed in black on lightly textured ivory card, centred italic French typography, verso blank.

The conceptual timeline runs: monochrome → material rupture → live fire → printed network. After meeting Yves Klein in 1957, Aubertin developed his rouge total paintings and entered ZERO’s international orbit in 1961. Red soon escaped the canvas through nails, matches, burned books and fire actions. A 1972 Centre national d’art contemporain exhibition established his institutional position; documenta 6 followed in 1977. Meanwhile, Italy supplied another circuit: Sarenco’s Lotta Poetica had dedicated issue 43 to Aubertin in 1974, reproducing a fire action staged in Sarenco’s Brescia studio.

By 1983 that relationship was renewed in Paris. Galerie J & J Donguy, then newly established as a platform for experimental poetry, performance and interdisciplinary work, paired Aubertin’s exhibition with a new Lotta Poetica presentation. His relevance rested on this ability to keep the same proposition — red as energy rather than expression — in motion across painting, object, combustion, performance and publication.

The absence of both image and red on this card is unexpectedly sharp: for an artist identified with total colour and literal flame, the invitation lets the network carry the heat.

Single card, 12.5 × 8 cm. French text. Verso blank.

Condition: Very good overall, with light age-toning and handling; faint corner creasing, most visible at lower left.