Pleasure #162 (2001) May 2026

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.

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

While some works from this era lean into "toxic" oranges and artificial yellows, others maintain the cool, skeptical grays for which Richter is famous. Pleasure #162 (2001)

In the world of contemporary art, few names command as much reverence as . By the time 2001 arrived, Richter was already a titan of both photo-realism and abstraction. However, his work from this specific year represents a peak in his "squeegee" technique—a method that famously balances high-precision control with the beauty of pure chance. A Year of Artistic Transition

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 This blog post explores Abstraktes Bild (Abstract Painting)

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

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 These works aren't meant to be "decoded"; they

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.