Albus No. 11

Geoff Thornley’s Albus works of 1974 first brought his name to prominence. They use the grid to allow colour to operate across the surface with an even focus. Colour is laid down on the paper then blotted up, creating mood-filled modulations of tone within the compositional austerity of the grid construction. The viewer is encouraged to contemplate and thus arrive at an emotional response to the colour of each work.

The Albus paintings were exhibited as Aotearoa’s contribution to the 1975 São Paulo Art Biennial. The title means ‘white’, a reference to the white base from which all the works are developed. Most of them are grey/black, although a single unexhibited work is richly coloured. Albus No. 11 is the only asymmetrically composed painting from the series.