The painting Squares by Berta Mayer features squares, rectangles, and quadrilateral shapes painted in red and its various shades on a white background. These shapes, varying in size and arranged seemingly at random, create a striking visual composition. The large-scale artwork captivates the viewer through its use of monotony, monochromatic tones, and repetition.

It is fascinating how such a seemingly simple and repetitive composition can evoke such a powerful impact. At first glance, the repetition of squares and rectangles may appear mechanical or systematically organized, yet this is precisely where the strength of the work lies: the subtle variations—in color intensity, shape size, and the texture of brushstrokes—lend each element a unique character.

Rather than inducing boredom, this repetition generates rhythm and tension, unfolding like a kind of visual music before the viewer. Within the constraints of geometric form, the artist explores delicate shifts, tonal nuances, and surface textures, creating a nearly meditative experience. The eye is drawn again and again to the repeating motifs, discovering more and more details with each glance, ultimately offering a gradually deepening visual journey instead of mere monotony.

The painting is on view until September 15 in the exhibition Founders – Society of Hungarian Painters, located in the lower-level gallery space.