Eesti kunsti oksjonid

Ink on paper. 1967.
Signature: Leonhard Lapin 1967

Leonhard Lapin (1947-2022), a representative of the radical art movement of the 1960s, has earlier pieces that abstracted geometric forms. In his later machine series, his designs became increasingly complex, making it all the more enjoyable to observe the optical illusion conveyed by minimalist, clean lines. Moreover, Lapin’s earlier works are rarely available for purchase.

The contrast between straight and curved is one of the main techniques of geometric art, and its origins can also be found in the ink drawing “Op-Composition II”. Its lines encounter an obstacle on the image surface and, under its influence, bend forward in an arched form, just as the lines undulated and deformed in the works of the Hungarian-French artist Victor Vasarely, who conquered the world in the mid-20th century.

“Op-Composition II” was exhibited at Leonhard Lapin’s solo exhibition “Emptiness and Space” held at Kumu in 2018 and is reproduced in the accompanying comprehensive book, page 152 (Art Museum of Estonia, 2018).

Text: Vappu Thurlow