French art gallery exhibits paintings made by a two-year-old

Artwork made by a two-year-old is being featured in a unique gallery exhibition in Poitiers (Vienne).

Ismaël Baldassare-Jourdan cannot yet read or write but already his work is displayed in a gallery as part of a solo art show titled La pureté du geste (The purity of the movement).

The exhibition opened last Saturday (February 8) at the Espace Baldassare, where around 40 members of the public came to preview the collection of bright, abstract paintings. 

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From playroom to atelier

Art has always been like a “game” for Ismaël, whose creative tendencies are nurtured by his artist parents, Manuel Baldassare and Chloé Jourdan.

“The main thing is that he is having fun and experimenting,” Manuel told The Connexion. “When he comes home from nursery he is always keen to get painting.” 

Ismaël began painting and drawing on pieces of paper but soon expressed a desire to graduate onto larger-scale works. 

His parents ended up hanging a sheet of canvas material on the wall, creating a “sort of atelier” in his playspace, complete with a stock of gouache paints and colouring pencils.

“I limit myself to being his assistant. I just pass him his paints and his colours when he asks,” said Manuel.

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From atelier to gallery

Espace Baldassare is located in Poitiers’ town centre and owned by Ismaël’s father. He decided to put on the exhibition as a way of going back to the basics of creative expression.

“Today we see a bit of anything and everything [in the art world]… We don’t know how to define art anymore. So I thought, why not exhibit my son’s artwork?”

“His creations are very spontaneous. It is lively. It is colourful. There is movement… I find it very interesting, not only because he is my son, but because I see things that speak to me on a deeper level,” explained Manuel. 

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Members of the public have also been enjoying Ismaël’s exhibition, with the gallery receiving lots of positive feedback and even offers to purchase some of the canvases. 

La pureté du geste runs until February 19. 

It can be seen for free at the Espace Baldassare (7 rue du Palais, Poitiers) which is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 15:30 to 19:00. 

Visits can also be organised upon request during the rest of the week.