Relational Painting #64 1953

This is one of Fritz Glarner’s “Relational Paintings,” and it's got me thinking about how colors and shapes can feel like they're dancing together. I imagine Glarner, brush in hand, carefully placing each block of color, almost like a choreographer arranging dancers on a stage. How long did he spend deciding where each one should go? The blue, yellow, and red, they're so solid, but the off-whites make them glow, even hum. It feels like a balancing act, a conversation between colors. The blocks don't quite touch, or if they do, they just barely meet. It's like they are breathing, right? Glarner’s making a nod to Mondrian, but he is looser, I think. More human. It's not just about the grid; it's about the relationships between the parts and the little imperfections. You know, those small details where you can see the hand of the artist? And that’s where the magic happens, right? The way one artist riffs off another. Like jazz musicians playing a tune, each one adding their own flavor.