Untitled (gray), 1971

Winfred Gaul’s Untitled (1971) is dominated by a bold geometric sign-like form of red and yellow diagonal stripes, set against a restrained grey field. The sharply defined pattern and rounded blue border recall the visual language of traffic signals and urban signage, while its removal from any functional context turns the sign into a purely pictorial element. 
The work belongs to Gaul’s sustained exploration of signs, signals and an autonomous visual language based on colour and geometry. By reducing the composition to a few highly contrasting forms, Gaul creates an image that is immediately recognizable in its visual effect while remaining entirely abstract. The particularly rare edition of only four further underscores the exceptional character of this work.