Composition and colour scheme – H2

The iconic colour fields fit together on the canvas like a finished puzzle. Serge Poliakoff’s “Noir gris rose” from 1961 is a promise of the title itself. Black, gray and pink fields border and connect, interlocking like the teeth of a cogwheel. For Serge Poliakoff, the decisive factors in his motifs are the proportions, the rhythm and the space they create through the different colours and colour structures.

Subtle nuances and layering – H2

Through fine gradations in the individual colour spectra, Poliakoff succeeds in creating an energetic balance, which is further emphasized by the plasticity of the colour structure. Looking at the lower middle of the canvas, the fine transitions between the pink tones are not the result of a clear boundary marking – rather, the darker tone gives way to a lighter colour gradation with a broken-up feel towards the middle. The artist worked out the subjective gestures of the paint application in several layers, creating simultaneous contrasts.

Visual guidance and composition – H2

The eye wanders further into the upper left corner of the picture and lingers on the light shade of grey, probably the most striking field on the canvas. On closer inspection, it becomes clear that at this point, despite the break in colour, the composition merges: gray paint spans the pink paint application. It is the combination of colour, surface, and the resulting dynamics of the applied layers that invite the viewer to explore the motif for its own sake.

Poliakoff’s principle of silence – H2

“Le silence complet”, absolute stillness and the absence of any disturbance – is what Serge Poliakoff defines as an indispensable element of his mature works. Poliakoff relies on large, clearly delineated areas of paint that characterize the style of colour field painting. The proportions of the individual fields are deliberately chosen to create a sense of balance. The black and gray tones lend the work depth and stability, while the rose loosens up the composition. Together, this deliberate choice of hues and the division of surfaces allow the painting to achieve both monumentality and subtlety.