Suburb

This painting is from the earliest era of Huguette Caland’s expansive career. Following the start of her artistic pursuits in the 1960s, she expressed the quest for personal expression and individuality in her early works. Caland was drawn to the sociocultural significance of textiles, preferring the liberating design of the caftan in comparison to restrictive European fashion trends that were more popular amongst the elites – as a result, the caftan became synonymous with her personal style.

Suburb demonstrates Caland’s distinctive, vibrant and joyful art style, highlighting the links between the various mediums with which she actively engaged. The textile-like patterns in this painting resemble patches of fabric sewn together, a common technique by the artist, representing a suburb in an abstract form. These compositions reflect the broader influences and experiences that defined her visual language.