"The objective is not so much to merely apply a coat of paint but rather to avoid an artistic handwriting in the sense of artistic mannerism." —Günther Förg
This work is a part of a series by German abstract artist Günther Förg produced between 2003 and 2007. Comprising small works on wood, Förg transforms his expansive large-scale paintings to miniature compositions of formal reprise. These works derive from different periods spanning the breadth of his career, from his Lead, Window and Color-Field paintings to his Grid and Spot paintings.
Förg’s artistic approach in Untitled is intriguingly elusive and purposefully abstract. He references the expressionist techniques and tropes of the paintings of modernist masters such as Clyfford Still, Mark Rothko, and Jasper Johns. As Albert Oehlen describes, Förg “creates sublime works from something that is already sublime”. [1] The stark white background has been intentionally left visible beneath the composition, appearing almost illuminated as it peeks out from the exuberant paint strokes that overlap it. The style of the red, orange and amber-hued scribbles brings to mind the iconic hatchings of Jasper Johns, as Förg skillfully achieves a delicate balance between finesse and coarseness. The composition conveys a stunning contradiction - harmonious and yet in disarray at the same time, conjuring a sense of depth and yet simultaneously transcending its material boundaries.