Gerhard Richter: Colour Charts, Dominique Lévy ★★★★★

Sometime between the start of 1965 and the end of 1966, Gerhard Richter’s art underwent a seismic change. His much-feted photo paintings, dominated by black and white, gave way to their opposite. This exhibition, in Mayfair’s Dominique Levy Gallery, captures the exact moment when this change began: the photo painting Sänger (1965/6), on the back of whose canvas sits six rectangles of red paint. The Colour Charts – inspired by paint sample cards in hardware stories – were born.

What are the colour charts?

Although these Colour Charts might seem simplistic, they are a pivotal moment in Richter's career, using a precise mathematical system to showcase colour in its purest form. The story goes that Richter's friend, abstract artist Blinky Palermo, would shout out the names of sample colour cards which Richter would then include in his work. By 1971, Richter had perfected the process so that colours were entirely selected at random.

Gerhard Richter painting exhibition

This exhibition, which gathers several of the nineteen 1966 originals with work from the later 1971 series, offers a rare chance to see these exquisite works together. It is easy to be blown away by the variety of colour and the potency of each shade. And while they are all of a piece, there is enough variance in these two rooms to make it all worthwhile. Some early charts, painted in oil, show tantalizing depth of shade; others, including those restored by Richter himself, demonstrate almost flawless blocks. For anyone interested in abstract art, minimal art and Richter, this is an essential exhibition.

Gerhard Richter artwork & celebrity

Superstar painter Gerhard Richter is one of the most famous artists in the world. From squeegee abstraction to striking photo-realism where the touch of the brush is completely invisible, Richter has won hearts for his revival of painting. He's also made a name with 'un-paintable' subjects like Germany’s Baader-Meinhof terrorist faction and the incomprehensible calamity of 9 11. The German artist is so popular that in 2013, Domplatz, Mailand (Cathedral Square Milan) (1968) smashed world records after selling for a colossal $37.1 million at auction.