Color Panels for a Large Wall 1978

Ellsworth Kelly gave us these 'Color Panels for a Large Wall'. They are each made up of individual panels to construct a large installation of colour. The thing I find interesting here is how the colours are arranged to interact with one another and the wall behind them, as it turns out that the colours influence our perception of the grey wall just as much as the grey influences our perception of the colours. I'm drawn to the black panel on the second to bottom row. It sits like a dark star amongst the blue, red and green around it. The way the colour sits flat on the surface suggests a certain simplicity, but then you notice the subtle differences in tone, especially the relationships between the blocks, it's a very subtle dialogue. Kelly's work reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, both artists are so concerned with reduction and pure sensation, but Kelly's use of colour creates a very different experience and shows how endless possibilities can emerge from simple forms and a restricted palette.