Relational painting, Tondo #4 1946

Fritz Glarner's "Relational Painting, Tondo #4" is a circular painting that looks like it was made with a steady hand and a clear vision. It's all straight lines and blocks of colour in red, yellow, blue, and black, against a mostly white ground. I wonder what it was like for Glarner to make this? Did he have it all planned out, or did it evolve as he went along? I see a kind of conversation happening between the colours and shapes, each one pushing against the others. It reminds me a little of Mondrian, but with a softer touch, maybe a bit more room to breathe. There's something about the way the colours sit on the surface. It makes me think about the simple pleasure of putting paint on a surface and seeing what happens, how the relationships between colours start to vibrate. Artists like Glarner keep the language of painting alive, by constantly asking questions, and experimenting. It’s a reminder that art isn't just about what you see, but how you see it, and how that seeing makes you feel.