The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of March 24, 2024

Color Test 210 (9 Permutations)

Color Test 210 (9 Permutations)

2015
(American, 1962-)
Each: 77.5 x 77.5 x 11.4 cm (30 1/2 x 30 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.)
Location: Tunnel

Did You Know?

Finch is known to travel to sites of significance, such as Walden Pond, Monument Valley, the archaeological ruins of Troy, and Giverny, France, in order to glean atmospheric inspiration for his works.

Description

Each light box in Color Test 210 (9 Permutations) is based on a computerized drawing by Finch composed of 210 different colors that never repeat. These compositions are printed on Fujitrans, a translucent colored material that emits an arresting glow when illuminated from behind, giving form to the complexity of color. The work is inspired by the color chart paintings of modern artists Ellsworth Kelly and Gerhard Richter, and they recall the Romantic painting tradition in which artists such as J. M. W. Turner and Thomas Cole rendered the qualities of light on their canvases. Since these and related artists are represented in the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection, the ideas in Color Test can be found throughout the galleries. Working across a wide range of media, Finch explores the perception of light and color, often in relation to natural phenomena and historic sites. The artist’s work, which combines scientific precision with visual poetry, is motivated by his “impossible desire to see oneself seeing.”
  • {{cite web|title=Color Test 210 (9 Permutations)|url=false|author=Spencer Finch|year=2015|access-date=24 March 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/11.2018