Untitled (9 - 1 - A - 15) 1989

This is Yves Gaucher's 'Untitled', one of a series of screenprints exploring colour and form. At first, it looks so simple, right? But that's deceptive. Gaucher isn't just slapping colours down; he's creating a tightly controlled experience. Look at the texture of the paper. It's rough, almost like sandpaper, which makes the colours appear more matte and subdued. The shapes are so clean that they almost fade into the background. Your eye jumps to the square in the middle, the darkest shade, it anchors the composition, but its subtle variations reveal the hand of the artist. You can sense Gaucher's process. I’m reminded of Agnes Martin, but where she evokes Zen-like calm, Gaucher seems to revel in the tension between order and chaos. It’s a testament to how much can be communicated with so little.