Red Wall 1956

Josef Albers made this "Red Wall" painting with oil on masonite by carefully layering rectangles of colour, one within another. It seems so simple, right? But that’s the magic of Albers. I can imagine Albers, brush in hand, meticulously applying each layer, adjusting the tones and hues to create this visual experience. You see how the red isn’t just red? It vibrates against the blues and purples, creating a push and pull. It’s like he’s testing how far he can push our perception. There’s a calmness, a stillness in Albers' work, but also a quiet intensity. He was interested in Bauhaus ideas and other artists like Mondrian, who explored geometry. Yet Albers was deeply involved in the sensuality of paint itself, and with the poetry of color and how it affects us. He shows us how to really see.