Townscape PL 1970

Gerhard Richter made this painting, Townscape PL, with oil paint, and you can almost feel him feeling his way through it. The grey palette isn't dreary, it's more like a visual meditation. Looking closely, you see how Richter builds the image with these small, deliberate strokes. It’s like he’s constructing the town one brushstroke at a time. The paint isn't trying to hide itself, it’s thick in places, almost sculptural, while elsewhere it thins out, creating a sense of depth, and the surface has a beautiful texture, a record of the decisions made. Look at the way the darkest greys sit next to the pale ones, creating these sharp contrasts, and that one stroke that isn't quite parallel to its neighbour. It's these moments of slight awkwardness that I find so compelling. Richter reminds me of Morandi, who had a similarly quiet and reflective way of looking at the world. Art’s not about answers, it’s about the ongoing conversation, the endless possibilities of seeing.