Circle of Color. The Fourth 'Book of Schemes'. Album #1, the First Folder 1978

Valerii Lamakh made this work, "Circle of Color," as part of his 'Book of Schemes.' Just imagine Lamakh, pencil in hand, mapping out this composition of concentric shapes. What a feat of imagination! It's like he's tuning into some cosmic radio frequency. The color palette, dominated by greys and blacks, sets a contemplative mood, while pops of yellow, red, blue, and green add just a touch of levity, like little blips of joy. This grey color, achieved by pencil or some kind of rubbing... you can see the texture of the paper showing through. I wonder if Lamakh was thinking about the Russian Constructivists, who also used geometry as a language for new realities? Artists are always talking to each other across time, riffing off of one another's ideas. Here, the balance of control and intuition invites us to think about the relationship between chance and intention, and the search for a meaningful order.