‘THE BLACK’ series on paper
February, 2015
Alex Kuznetsov executed this body of work on paper in 2015, carefully selecting black colors to create scenes that absorb all colors and do not reflect their surroundings, making them both nothing and everything at the same time. While his technique starts with black, Kuznetsov also incorporates full-wave spectrum colors through physics while visually maintaining the black hue.
This monochromatic approach to art is not new and has been used by other artists throughout history. For example, Katsushika Hokusai used a deep black ink to create contrast in his famous print "The Great Wave off Kanagawa," while Ad Reinhardt created monochromatic paintings exploring the possibilities of blackness, such as his 1962 work "Abstract Painting No. 5," which features subtle variations in tone and texture to create depth and movement.
In Kuznetsov's works, the chosen pigment is "carbon oxide," which is not only the most common color in modern industry but also the oldest known to mankind, used in rock paintings by primitive man. Kuznetsov follows an instinctive feeling of harmony in every work, using a roller to smash the paint until it ceases to mark the museum-standard natural white German paper, without bleaching or chemical additives. This preserves the purity and authenticity of the colors used, resulting in thought-provoking pieces that demonstrate the power of monochromaticism in the hands of the artist.