Strip 2011

In ‘Strip’ by Gerhard Richter, you see a series of horizontal lines, each a different colour. The palette ranges from cool blues and greens to warm reds and oranges. I can almost imagine Richter methodically applying each stripe, one after the other, building up the composition layer by layer. What was he thinking? Was it like following a set of instructions, or did the painting evolve organically as he went along? The way the colours interact is interesting; some vibrate against each other, while others blend softly. The surface appears smooth, almost mechanical, but there’s a subtle unevenness to the lines, which gives it a human touch. It’s a painting about painting, about the simple act of putting colour onto a surface and seeing what happens. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's grids, but with a pop twist. Artists have always borrowed from each other. Richter is always in conversation with the history of painting. He leaves room for interpretation, inviting viewers to bring their own associations and feelings to the work.