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'. It’s unclear when, but it's a process, a system, an almost scientific exploration of color. Lamakh’s got this amazing spiral right in the center – it's like looking down into a vortex or maybe gazing up at the Milky Way. Around it, a series of colored circles are set against a grey field, creating a strange harmony. The paint application is straightforward; each color is carefully contained within its boundaries, but it's the composition as a whole that sings. Look at how the blue pulls your eye down, and the yellow pops up. These colors are primary, foundational. The spiral is almost hypnotic; an intense push-pull between positive and negative space. It reminds me a little of Hilma af Klint’s diagrams or maybe even some of the early Bauhaus color theory exercises. But Lamakh brings a playful sensibility to these references. It’s clear he's inviting us into a space where seeing is about feeling and thinking, not just knowing.