Untitled 1941

Hans Hinterreiter made this untitled painting with angular shapes in clashing colors that come together in a dynamic pattern. I see lines of teal, maroon, and ochre that crisscross and collide, like a kaleidoscope spinning in front of my eyes. I think of the artist, leaning over his canvas, plotting out the composition with mathematical precision but also with a sense of play. Did he start with the maroon, then overlay the teal? And how did he choose to add the ochre on top, like highlights catching the light? There's something so satisfying about the way the colors push against each other, creating a kind of visual tension. For me, making a painting is about entering a dialogue with other artists across time. Hinterreiter’s shapes remind me of Frank Stella's geometric abstractions, and I can see how one artist builds upon the ideas of another, carrying the conversation forward. Ultimately, painting is about embracing uncertainty and ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations and meanings to emerge.