About the work
Art is a comedy by Yasmina Reza, premiered in Paris in 1994. The work for three actors became one of the greatest international theatrical successes of the 1990s, translated into countless languages and showered with awards such as the Tony Award and the Molière.
Plot
The wealthy dermatologist Serge buys, for a considerable sum, a modern painting: a white canvas with barely visible white lines. His longtime friend Marc reacts with mockery and incomprehension—for him the picture is expensive nonsense. The third of the group, the conflict-averse Yvan, tries to mediate but is caught between the fronts. From the quarrel over the painting an ever sharper confrontation develops that shakes the foundations of their fifteen-year friendship and lays bare how little the three truly respect one another.
Cultural significance
Art masterfully combines a witty debate about modern art and its value with a sharp analysis of male friendship, vanity, and self-deception. Reza's pointed, feather-light dialogue makes the play a perennial favourite on the world's stages and a popular star vehicle. It established Reza's worldwide fame and is regarded as a modern model of the intelligent boulevard comedy with philosophical depth.