The Fondation CAB in Saint-Paul-de-Vence presents an exhibition devoted to the work/painting of Niele Toroni, whose pictorial protocol has remained unchanged since 1965.

Niele Toroni was raised in Switzerland and moved to Paris in 1959. It was here that he developed the unwavering visual concept that instantly distinguishes his work. He explains his idea, very literally, in the only title that he finds relevant: ‘Empreintes de pinceau n° 50 répétées à intervalles réguliers de 30 cm’ (Imprints of a brush no. 50, repeated at regular intervals of 30 cm).His work consists of meticulously positioned and repetitive imprints of an invariably flat, 50 mm-wide brush. Always in a regular pattern with an interspace of exactly 30 cm. In order to position the paint imprints, Toroni measures out pencil crosses with a compass. Every print is the result of a manual act and is thus unique. Yet they all combine to form a larger picture, a pattern. The only variables are colour and support. Toroni uses different shades, unmixed, just as they were manufactured. But he limits himself to one colour per work. Even so, the results are always different because no two supports and spatial context are the same. For example, he paints on supports including canvas, paper, walls or floors, enamel plates, newspapers, diaries, or even a metro map or posters.

The 864 imprints of a n° 50 brush repeated at regular intervals of 30 cm that will be presented at the Fondation CAB in Saint-Paul-de-Vence are a tribute to the work/painting of Niele Toroni. The fact remains that each of his prints is unique, i.e. it does not resemble any other.

The ambition of this exhibition is to show the diversity of the painter's visual proposals, which are not confined to canvas or paper, but which can be inscribed on the most varied supports (glass, wood, oilcloth, objects, fabrics, etc.).The works presented come mainly from French and Belgian collections. It should be noted that the collectors closest to Niele Toroni have loaned historical pieces for this exhibition, which provide an original perspective on the approach of a painter whose radicalism is exemplary.