Untitled (split sphere in red-orange)

Rupprecht Geiger

In the 1950s abstract artist Ruppercht Geiger began to focus on color as a theme, exploring one hue at a time to examine his perception of its energy and employing its use in various media, including sculpture, paintings, and prints. His fascination with color study often favored red. He is quoted as saying: "Red is life, energy, potency, power, love, warmth, strength. With its ability to stimulate it is a powerful function.” (Edith Wahlandt Gallery, exhibition press release, March 25 2008.)

In this untitled serigraph, Geiger uses a simple circle-on-square format, sliced into quadrants using the slightest variation in tone. Down the center is drawn a thin line of contrasting colors. Like a plucked string on a musical instrument, the yellow and sky blue present a wavering tension that successfully captures the energy Geiger saw within his preferred color.