Untitled 1970

Lothar Charoux made this untitled work using graphic lines on a vibrant red surface. The colour is intense, evenly applied, and pretty flat, a ground for the simple graphic elements to dance on. Those spiky lines, like a comb pulled through space, create a rhythmic pattern. They're not perfect, not mechanically precise. There's a wobble, a human touch. And then, a straight line cuts across, interrupting the rhythm, creating a beautiful tension. It's like a glitch in the matrix, or a reminder that even in the most ordered systems, there's always room for the unexpected. This piece invites the viewer to revel in the immediacy of the mark-making process. It reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, though Martin's lines are softer and more atmospheric. Charoux has a directness, a kind of punk energy, even, that feels really fresh and contemporary. It is like art is an ongoing conversation, always finding new ways to say something essential.