Gabriel Orozco
1996
Ink on newsprint
21.9 x 17.5 cm
Winsing Arts Collection

Gabriel Orozco
1996
Ink on newsprint
21.9 x 17.5 cm
Winsing Arts Collection
The Atomist series is a recurring theme in Orozco's oeuvre, reminiscent of the rectangles and squares characteristic of Piet Mondrian's work. Orozco's focus lies instead in the exploration of circles and spheres. Advancements in cameras, film, and lenses at the turn of the 20th century expanded the possibilities of motion-based photography. And due to industrial growth, action photography became ubiquitous from the 1960s to the 1980s.
In 1996, amidst the fervor of sporting events in the UK, including the Olympics and the UEFA European Championship, Orozco debuted his solo exhibition "Empty Club" in London. The exhibition hall was imbued with themes of both stillness and motion. Orozco unveiled a series of Atomist works, drawing inspiration from sports photographs found in British newspapers. The artist drew abstract circles on these photos, interweaving and blending various sequences in an attempt to achieve a harmonious balance between form and image.
