Peinture murale, 35 rue de Sèvres à Paris 1948

Le Corbusier made this mural painting at 35 rue de Sèvres in Paris, and it's like a puzzle of playful shapes. See how the paint has a kind of raw, almost chalky texture? It’s not trying to hide its material qualities; it’s all about the gesture. There's this amazing thick, black line that wriggles its way across the entire surface, almost like a doodle, but it's also carefully considered, anchoring the composition. It divides and unites the panels, creating a sense of movement, like a dance across the wall. The bold, flat colors—reds, yellows, greens—give a sense of depth. The way they abut each other, there's this tension created, a sense of forms bumping into each other. It reminds me of Léger, and his love of simple, machine-like forms. What makes the piece sing is the way Le Corbusier embraces ambiguity. It's painting that doesn't tell you what to think, but invites you to feel.