Zentrum aus vier Quadranten als Ergebnis der vier Kreuzflächen 1976

Richard Paul Lohse made this abstract, geometric artwork of blocks of color. The arrangement is so well balanced it's as if the color has been mathematically figured out. You can see this is not about free expression, but rational, balanced relationships. The surface is smooth, flat. There's no texture or gesture, and the paint is opaque. It feels almost like it's been printed, and the colors are strong, primary, and almost candy-like. I'm drawn to the way the colors sit side by side, creating a push and pull. In the middle is the purple square, and that darker color provides a visual anchor. Lohse has affinities with Josef Albers, but I think his work has a playfulness that also feels aligned with artists like Peter Halley. It seems like the work asks us to consider the relationship between form, color, and maybe even math. But at the end of the day, it’s also ok to just enjoy the buzz of the color combinations.