Harold Ancart's tree paintings, showcased in the "Traveling Light" exhibition at David Zwirner in New York (September 10–October 17, 2020), reflect a deep engagement with natural landscapes and the artistic process itself. Ancart, born in Brussels in 1980 and currently based in New York, finds inspiration in a range of art historical sources, from René Magritte to Piet Mondrian, exploring the interplay between figuration and abstraction, form and color, figure and ground. These works, created between his Brooklyn studio and a temporary outdoor setup in Los Angeles during lockdown, embody a meditation on painting's expansive possibilities, blurring the boundaries between the observed and the imagined​ (David Zwirner)​​ (David Zwirner)​.

The exhibition not only highlighted Ancart's fascination with trees but also featured multipanel canvases that positioned the viewer amidst mountain-scapes and seascapes, creating an immersive landscape experience. Inspired in part by the modernist landscape murals of American painter Gottardo Piazzoni, Ancart's work emphasizes the process of painting over the depiction of a specific scene, inviting viewers to wander freely through the painterly dimension​ (David Zwirner)​.

Ancart's approach to his subjects, often elemental and inviting sustained contemplation, aligns with his broader artistic practice that oscillates between abstraction and representation. He regards paintings as vessels or means of transportation to other places, allowing for an exploration of color, shape, and the essence of the natural world. Ancart's tree paintings, in particular, emerge from his experiences driving through France, where the interplay of light and trees captured his imagination, leading to a series of works that capture the fleeting, ephemeral nature of this visual impression​ (David Zwirner)​.