Townscape SL 1969

Here we have Gerhard Richter's 'Townscape SL,' a painting which revels in the push and pull between representation and abstraction. Richter's restricted monochrome palette gives a sense of distance. You can almost feel Richter feeling his way through the shapes and forms that make up the townscape. Look at how the paint has been applied, it’s not about a smooth finish, but a record of the act of painting itself. The texture is quite flat, matter-of-fact. It reminds me a little of the paintings of Giorgio de Chirico, who similarly explored the uncanny aspects of urban space. There’s a real coolness to this piece, maybe even a sense of detachment. But is this a true image of the town, or a rendering of a feeling of being in a town? I'm not sure. I think Richter asks us to embrace that ambiguity.