Pierre Bittar and- Impressionism

Bittar believes that "true" Impressionism is sensational and the most impressive style of art. The viewer receives a feeling of accomplish-ment and satisfaction that he cannot explain. The reason is simple. A true Impressionist artist does not paint the subject but shapes of light that touch his eyes as he works out of doors. Therefore, the viewer is not able to decipher the subject matter at close view but when he steps back and beholds the piece in its entirety, not

only he can see the subject matter, but he feels the movement of the wind, the atmosphere which surrounds the subject and the smells the artist has sensed as if he, himself is outdoors. In other words, the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction felt by the viewer as he has unconsciously reconstituted in his mind the feeling expressed by the artist with strokes of colors on his canvas. This amazing but unintentional mental connection between the artist and the viewer is the secret of Impressionism's success.

The following article was written in 1990 by the art critic at the Figaro; Paris, France. During this time, Pierre Bittar was having a one-man show at the Wally Findlay Gallery.

From the above article it is clear that it is a special gift to capture the qualities and flair of the Impressionist painters. There are endless artists, mastering their technique and doing a beautiful job but few are able to express themselves in the Impressionistic mode.

When Claude Monet said that it requires twenty years of experience to be an Impression-istic painter, he was not exaggera-ting. He believed one could only experience and master the technique by painting out of doors. It is the artist that paints in 'plein air' that encounters unexpected occurrences that a studio artist can never be aware of. For example, the ever changing light and with it the continuous movement that the shadows cast. The problems of glare upon the artists canvas and the inconvenience of bad weather. There are the extreme temperatures, whether it be hot or cold...there is snow to contend with in one case and mosquitoes in another. His subject matter is constantly moving along with all the commotion of the outside environment. These are the dilemmas that an Impressionist painter encounters and they cannot be read about in books or learned in school. The artist must rely on his own common sense, good will, discipline, determination, patience and hard work. It is only then, after many years of experience and perseverance that he can discover whether his talents merit the amazing qualities of Impressionism.

This long road of challenges may discourage many young, talented artists of today. Especially, when there exist surer artistic routes in this new, technological world. Young artists are able to express themselves through graphic art via the computer and can be assured a comfortable living. This technological age is luring artistic talents in a whole new direction. This is only another diversion, pulling artists away from more classical forms of painting. One of the forms, of course, being Impressionism and the 'true' Impressionist painters will eventually disappear within the next two decades. In turn, the paintings done during this final period of Impressionism will become increasingly more difficult to find and with this, the paintings will become priceless. The artists of this period will no longer be with us but they will have left behind their indelible mark with the paintings so masterfully done in their unique mode of expression... Impressionism.

When Pierre Bittar is asked which subject matter he prefers and what kind of feelings he experiences when painting...he responds, "If God gave me this gift, it is not only for me but also for others. I believe that the artists duty or mission is to communicate his feelings. There is a lot of spirituality in Impressionism. This is due to the fact that painting outdoors brings the artist closer to the Creator. The result is a great sense of peace, serenity and internal happiness. In order to communicate these feelings on my canvas, I need a subject as a means. So, the subject itself is not the ultimate goal. It is nothing but a vehicle to arrive to the goal. When I discover the appropriate subject, which might be insignificant to others, I allow myself the time to absorb and enjoy what I am seeing until the point when my emotions take over and my blood begins to boil like a volcano ready to explode. It is only then when I begin to paint with phenomenal speed, expressing my feelings through strokes of color with the shapes of the spectrum of light I see."

"Faithful to the first Impressionists, Pierre Bittar can only express himself in the open space of nature. When he paints the sea for example, the sensation of a surging surf influences both his color and structure. It is more like an inner music for which he is projecting the rhythm and the melody. Upon inspecting his paintings at close range, we noticed that his subject matter is secondary. Several lines of force are used to structure space and assure equilibrium, then quickly he enters the kingdom of color. Light in his work reigns as absolute master. If we carefully study the work of Pierre Bittar it is impossible to perceive the ultimate goal. The forms are in comprehensible. Only juxtaposed touches can suggest vague conformation. The work only opens up to our gaze later on, waiting for us to gain a little distance to see and feel the things emanating form the heart. To work, therefore, Bittar never seeks the subject. What preoccupies him exclusively is light. 'Whether it be a bouquet of flowers, a face, or nature, I see light.' His pictorial execution opens an important and unlimited participative field, for it requires synthesizing all these touches of organized light and in this way the restructuring of space of the painting into a sphere where emotion, always different, creates a response from the viewer. For Bittar, that is the first and irreducible necessity of art. It is for him the key to the grandeur of Impressionism. Having known how to invent dynamics in the matter of painting, capable of speaking exclusively to the hearts of beings. It required years to dominate this light of which he speaks."

Didier Henry • Art Actualities Magazine • Paris, 1993

The Wally Findlay Galleries, which specialize in Impressionism, wrote the following about Pierre Bittar:

"Although inspired by the French Impressionists, Pierre Bittar has been able to achieve the almost impossible. By developing a totally distinctive style he has redefined the tenet of classic Impressionism. Light and atmosphere are fused with luminous colors to create compositions that abound with the smell and feel of the great outdoors. The artist, who could be called, and rightfully so, a leader of Contemporary Impressionism, believes that 'an artist establishes a communion between himself and nature which depends on the awareness of all the senses. To accomplish this he must call upon the maximum of all the human emotion one possesses'."