Untitled 1968

Gerhard von Graevenitz made this relief using simple geometric forms. It's a black circle with three white circles on it, contained within a light cream frame. Looking at this, I imagine the artist searching for the right balance, playing with positive and negative space. The circles aren’t just floating; they have a tangible presence, jutting out from the surface. It makes me wonder what kind of conversations he was having with other artists at the time, maybe considering the legacy of the Bauhaus, or even constructivism? I think of the work of artists like Ellsworth Kelly or Carmen Herrera, with their own interest in geometric abstraction. Ultimately, it's a reminder that artists are always in dialogue with each other, riffing on ideas, and pushing boundaries. There's something exciting about how Graevenitz took these simple shapes and made something so visually arresting.