Untitled 1985

Curator: Untitled, by Gerhard Richter, is here in the Tate collection. The piece is undated and the support measures roughly 59 by 85 centimeters. It’s a riot of color! Editor: My first impression is of raw energy—the reds are so visceral, almost volcanic, contrasted by streaks of brighter blues and greens. There's a primal scream in this abstraction. Curator: It's fascinating how Richter withholds a clear image. This forces viewers to confront the materiality of paint, rather than any representational content. Considering his background, what do you make of that choice? Editor: Perhaps a symbolic rebellion against the rigid representational demands of his early training in East Germany. The lack of distinct forms becomes a kind of freedom. Curator: Precisely, abstract expressionism served as a powerful symbol of Western cultural freedom during the Cold War. Editor: It makes one ponder the psychological release in such a free outpouring of color. It taps into something pre-verbal, a pure emotional state. Curator: Indeed, Richter allows us to witness the act of painting itself, a dialogue between artist and medium, culture, and individual. Editor: A very resonant piece that speaks to the power of abstract forms.