Composition, Circa 1978

Pierre Mantra  

Pierre Mantra, a Swiss painter born in 1935 in Geneva, knew from a young age that he would become an artist. His future seemed mapped out with Swiss precision, but he chose a different path, even if the price would be high. After attending the School of Fine Arts in Geneva, he fled to Paris at just seventeen years old. For a year, he worked at André Lhote's academy and then met Auguste Herbin, who would become his mentor and seal his destiny as a painter.

In 1954, Pierre Mantra became the youngest exhibitor at the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, alongside famous figures like Vieira da Silva, Hartung, and Vasarely. He immersed himself in the theosophy of Rudolf Steiner and the Goethanum to deepen his knowledge of colors, the golden ratio, and magic squares.

However, his need for absolute and personal expression led him to abstraction on the fringes of figuration. Early success came quickly, with gallery contracts and exhibitions in Paris and New York. At just 25 years old, his career took off.

Between 1958 and 1959, his style evolved towards minimalist pointillist abstraction, characterized by visual mantras and incantatory touches. Family responsibilities pushed him to leave the Parisian scene and retreat to the Arche of Lanza Del Vasto, where he adopted a non-violent, meditative, and spartan life. This led to an early ecological retreat.

In 1968, after fifteen years of absence, Mantra reappeared timidly at an exhibition in Paris. His work continued in the shadows, plagued by doubts, like a therapy. Like a yogi, Pierre Mantra emptied himself to fill himself.

Notable Exhibitions

Niveau Gallery, Madison Avenue, New York
Galerie Bellechasse, Paris
Galerie du Perron, Geneva
Musée Rath, Geneva
Galerie Entremonde, Paris