Relational Painting #64 1953

Fritz Glarner made this Relational Painting, one of many, with oil on canvas, and what strikes me is the way he sets up a conversation between colours and geometric forms. It’s a careful balancing act, a dance of rectangles that feels both planned and intuitive. The surface is smooth, almost like a wall, but up close, you can see the subtle textures where the paint has been layered. Look at that deep blue rectangle, how it sits heavy and solid, anchored by the lighter greys and whites around it. Then, your eye jumps to the vibrant red, a totally different energy, pulling you in another direction. The composition feels almost like a map, with the colour blocks working in relationship to one another, like how we orient ourselves in relation to others. Glarner’s got a lot in common with Mondrian, but I see a playfulness here, an openness to letting the relationships unfold organically. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation. It’s about how we connect, reflect, and keep the dialogue going.