Vermalung 1972

Gerhard Richter made this painting, Vermalung, by dragging paint across a surface, like he's trying to erase an image that was already there. I love how Richter embraces the materiality of paint. Up close, you can really see the texture – the ridges and valleys created by the brushstrokes. It's not just about color, but also about the physical presence of the medium, how it catches the light, and how it feels. Look at the way the paint is thick in some areas, almost sculptural, and thin in others, revealing glimpses of what lies beneath. It’s this back and forth, this push and pull, that makes the painting so compelling. This approach puts me in mind of some of the work of Pierre Soulages, another painter who embraces a limited palette to really explore the depths and possibilities of a single color. Ultimately, art is a conversation and Richter’s paintings embrace ambiguity, inviting each of us to bring our own experiences and interpretations to the canvas.