40.000, 2008

Gerhard Richter created this edition by minimizing compositional decision-making, reducing the work to a randomized presentation of a predefined color repertoire. The title 40.000 refers to the number of black, white, and grey squares that make up the image. Their arrangement was determined through a digital lottery system, operating within a set of predefined parameters. This generative process creates a striking aesthetic tension between chance and control, algorithmic structure and artistic intent – highlighting Richter’s enduring interest in the interplay between randomness, order, and the role of authorship in contemporary image-making.