Richter’s 2001 abstractions are characterized by their dense, multi-layered surfaces. Using a homemade —a large wooden plank with a rubber edge—Richter would drag wet oil paint across the canvas, partially obscuring the layers beneath while revealing unexpected "accidents" of color and texture.
Gerhard Richter, 873-7 Abstraktes Bild, 2001 | Marian Goodman 55 1/8 x 55 1/8 in. Marian Goodman Gallery Gerhard Richter | Paris | October 20—December 20, 2025
While Richter is often associated with heavy historical themes (like his October 18, 1977 cycle), his abstract works from 2001 offer a different kind of engagement. They provide what curators call a "satisfaction" in the . These works aren't meant to be "decoded"; they are meant to be experienced as pure visual phenomena—much like looking at a weathered wall or a natural landscape. Seeing the Work Today Pleasure #162 (2001)
If you want to see these masterpieces in person, Richter’s work from this period is frequently featured at major galleries like David Zwirner and the Marian Goodman Gallery . Whether they are smoldering with passion or coolly detached, Richter’s 2001 abstractions remain a testament to the idea that painting is never truly "finished"—it is only ever a captured moment of transformation.
Many of the 2001 works were executed on aluminum or alu dibond rather than traditional canvas, giving the paint a distinct, luminous slickness. Marian Goodman Gallery Gerhard Richter | Paris |
Critics often describe Richter’s process as "un-painting"—a cycle of building up and then violently scraping away, creating a field where every brushstroke is both a creation and a deletion. Why "Pleasure" Matters
This blog post explores Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting) series from 2001 , specifically focusing on the works exhibited during his landmark transition into the early 2000s. Seeing the Work Today If you want to
The year 2001 was a pivotal moment for Richter’s legacy. It preceded his massive retrospective at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) , which opened in early 2002. The paintings produced in 2001, often numbered under his Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting) catalogue raisonné (such as the 873 series), showcase a seasoned artist at the height of his powers. The Visual Language of 2001