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Wojciech Fangor, “M 61”, 1968 – pulsating colour field and optical space
Wojciech Fangor, “M 61”, 1968 is an abstract painting from the artist’s celebrated series of “positive–negative” colour vibrations, in which he explored optical space and visual perception. Here, colour and light completely replace traditional narrative, turning the canvas into a pure, meditative visual experience.
Description – concentric zones of colour
The composition is built from concentric colour zones. At the centre lies a glowing pale pink core, surrounded by a steel–green ring that gradually dissolves into a wide field of intense, lighter green. With no sharp edges, the transitions between these hues are soft and almost imperceptible.
Pink, green and the darker intermediate band function not as separate shapes but as interpenetrating fields of energy. The image recalls a luminous aura or an atmospheric phenomenon – something that is felt rather than described.
Soft gradients and the illusion of movement
By eliminating contours and using delicate, airbrushed tonal gradients, Fangor creates an effect of vibration and apparent motion. When looking at “M 61”, the viewer senses that the painting “breathes”: the centre seems to advance and recede, while the outer green field gently pulsates.
This is characteristic of Fangor’s concept of “positive–negative” space, where no zone is clearly foreground or background. The entire image behaves like a force field in which the eye continuously searches for equilibrium.
Light as experience, beyond narrative
In “M 61”, the artist fully abandons figuration and storytelling. There are no figures, landscapes or objects – only light manifested through colour. The work can be viewed as a pure experiment in seeing, focusing on how colour affects our vision and sense of space.
The concentric structure and smooth tonal transitions give the painting a meditative quality. “M 61” may be contemplated as a luminous disc that opens up space and draws the viewer into the depth of its pulsating surface. It is one of the works that secured Wojciech Fangor’s status as a key figure of op art and Polish abstract painting.
Keywords: Wojciech Fangor M 61, positive–negative colour vibrations, Polish op art, optical abstraction, pulsating circle painting, Polish contemporary art.
