Policenter. The Fourth 'Book of Schemes'. Album No. 1, the First Folder 1978

Valerii Lamakh created ‘Policenter’ as part of his ‘Book of Schemes’ but we don’t know exactly when. What a title though, right? It makes me think of a mainframe churning away in some Soviet-era office. I imagine Lamakh meticulously drawing each line, building up these complex, interwoven grid structures inside a slightly wobbly circle. There’s something deeply satisfying in its simplicity and the sense of order that wants to take over, yet he allows it to be softened by the imperfect hand. It reminds me of Agnes Martin and her grids. Look at the way each tiny plus sign is formed; each a little act of meditation. Maybe Lamakh was searching for some kind of cosmic formula? I love that this image comes from a series of works. It makes me think about how artists engage in ongoing conversations, exploring different iterations of an idea, like a painter returning to a motif, and the endless possibilities that can emerge from a singular, focused investigation.