Six systematical colour rows from bright to bright 1955

Richard Paul Lohse made this painting with precise applications of oil paint in a grid of vibrant colors. The process is key here. Lohse was interested in systems, taking a structuralist approach to art-making. Look closely, and you'll see that the colors aren't random; they follow a logical progression. He wanted to create a universal and objective form of art, one that could be understood by anyone, regardless of their background. The painting’s clean lines and bold colors are a hallmark of the mid-century modern style, which valued industrial production and rational design. Yet, this was all achieved through hand application. Ultimately, Lohse’s work reminds us that even the most systematic and seemingly impersonal art is the result of human labor, and is tied to wider social ideals. It challenges the perceived hierarchies between conceptual and applied practices, inviting us to appreciate the artistic thought inherent in production.