Geometric Composition 1966

Max Bill created this ‘Geometric Composition’ without a known date, using simple shapes and colors to play with our perception. The canvas is a field of diamonds in a grid, jumping out at you in shades of blue, red, orange, green. The colors are flat, almost chalky, and evenly applied. It’s the kind of color that makes you want to reach out and touch it. Look closely, and you'll notice tiny variations in the texture. These subtle shifts create a visual vibration, making the surface feel alive and like the shapes are moving on the surface. The red diamond in the centre pulls the other colors around it. This one area is a clue to Bill’s wider work, which explores how simple geometric forms can create complex, dynamic compositions. He reminds me of Bridget Riley. Like her, he shows that even the most rigorous artistic language can be deeply playful and ambiguous.