19651 — Fine Art

Roman Opalka spent his life painting numbers one after another across a white ground. In 19651 - infinity, detail 868149-893746 - 1971 the painted numbers run in rows that grow lighter as they go down. Each row sits on top of the last.

You can see the pencil work in the thin strokes. The fine art print sits in a frame with a back panel. The matte paper keeps the pale paint soft and stops any shine from a lamp.

The light marks stay clear because the paper does not reflect much. Put this on a brick wall in a narrow stairwell. From the bottom step you see the rows of numbers before you see the frame.