This French conceptual artist studied at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Métiers d'art in Paris (1960). With Olivier Mosset, Michel Parmentier and Niele Toroni, they worked together to create a theory of reducing painting to its minimum basic elements. As from 1966, he developed this aesthetic form which rejected all formal exploration and gave importance solely to the positioning of the work of art. It basically consisted of alternating vertical white strips with others of various colours, on varied supports, which became his trademark. His work generally has tremendous decorative quality as in his controversial creation for the courtyard of the Palais Royal in Paris, The Two Plateaux (1985-86).
