Homage to Square, 1971

Often cited as one of the founders of minimalist and conceptual art, Josef Albers is widely acclaimed for his theoretical teachings on art and his interplay between shape and colour. Among his most recognised works, Homage to the Square is a series which spanned across the 50’s and the 60’s, and features a range of rigid, geometric productions applied to canvas, all of which were offset by whichever colour palette he had chosen to adopt – the combination of the geometry and colour creates various optical effects, for which Albers has become renowned. Albers has stated ‘abstraction is real, probably more real than nature’ - his work is an attempt to portray this philosophy, and he challenges the viewer to analyse their own perspective with each piece; Structural Constellations is perhaps is most celebrated work of this kind, a subtle piece composed of simple lines that combine to create illusory forms. (Artist website)