A Brief Art History of the Dot

The Fondation Beyeler’s new collection display focuses on the dot and thus picks up on a central motif in the work of Yayoi Kusama, to whom the museum is simultaneously dedicating a major retrospective. The exhibition explores different aspects of the dot within its artistic development from the late 19th century to the present day. A very small round mark, a spot, speck or splatter, the dot is the smallest pictorial element, a basic geometric concept and can be both a sign and a symbol of creative and spiritual significance.

The multifaceted nature of dots in art ranges from pointillism and abstraction to pop art and contemporary art. The dot functions as an abstract compositional element; in its figurative dimension, however, it can also become a tiny celestial body. From an emotional perspective, it can be a point of pain and pleasure and forms the basis of visual perception as a point of light and focus. In this way, the exhibition also considers the dot from a sensual perspective.

Works by the following artists, among others, will be exhibited: Louise Bourgeois, Paul Cezanne, Max Ernst, Alberto Giacometti, Félix González-Torres, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Roy Lichtenstein, Henri Matisse, Joan Mitchell, Joan Miró, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Barnett Newman, Elizabeth Peyton, Pablo Picasso, Sigmar Polke, Jackson Pollock, Doris Salcedo, Wolfgang Tillmans, Vincent van Gogh and Andy Warhol.