Art has always played an important role in the life of Matisse Lismont. After all, the young Belgian racer is named after Henri Matisse, one of the most important and well-known artists of the 20th century, while his grandmother used to run an art gallery.
The connection with Matisse runs deeper still. During his youth Lismont’s family often spent time in the South of France, an area that he quickly came to love. The same was true of Henri Matisse, who moved to Nice in 1917 and immediately fell under its spell. Inspired by the Mediterranean light and landscape, he began exploring new directions, using vibrant colours and bold brushstrokes to create some of his most captivating work.
In 2007, when Lismont was only two years old, he and his family visited the Musée Matisse in Nice. He proudly described this as "the little Matisse going to visit the great Matisse." Opened in 1963, the museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating the artist’s life and legacy. This remarkable collection spans his entire career and offers unparalleled insight into his evolution and groundbreaking innovations.
It also holds more than one hundred personal objects collected by Matisse himself, many of which appear in his paintings, and is the only museum in Europe to house almost all of his sculptures. Among its objectives, the Musée Matisse seeks to inspire new generations to engage with Matisse's work.
Matisse has done just that by drawing inspiration for his racing helmet designs from the works of the artist he holds close to his heart.
His helmet from the 2024 season was inspired by La Gerbe, created in 1953. This later work by Matisse features colorful leaf-like shapes on a white background. The design is bold and immediately recognizable.
The bouquet also forms the climax of a firework display, an explosion of joy and an ode to life.
La Gerbe is seen as a celebration of life and creativity, showcasing Matisse’s mastery in creating powerful imagery with simple means, even at an advanced age.
The 2025 helmet carried the distinctive blue color that Matisse often used in his paintings and iconic cut-outs.
Matisse chose to experiment with the composition of La Gerbe, but using only blue, a color that is especially dear to him because of its connection to the sea.
As a child, and still today, Matisse can spend hours in the water wakeboarding, waterskiing, or simply swimming. The helmet gave the impression of Matisse himself swimming underwater, with all the elements of the sea surrounding his head on the outside of the helmet.
The design of his helmets is bold and instantly recognizable, repeatedly creating a lasting connection between the “little Matisse” and the great artist after whom he was named.
And 2026? That remains a surprise for now. But we’ll discover it very soon.
Copyright Henri Matisse La Gerbe
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