Bach

This work uses combinations of eight colours taken two at a time. In mathematical terms, eight distinct colours give 28 unordered pairs when repetition is excluded. The catalogue connects CREW’s method to Bach’s contrapuntal practice: musical themes can be inverted, exchanged between voices and combined under precise constraints. The artwork translates the principle of composing within a rule into coloured paper elements. It does not transcribe a particular score; its connection to Bach lies in the relationship between a limited set of materials, their possible combinations and the structure of the completed composition.

There are 8 choices for the first colour and 7 for a different second colour. Since a pair is counted only once, dividing 8 × 7 by 2 gives 28 combinations. This distinction matters: exchanging the order of a pair does not create a new combination, although the placement of its colours can still affect the visual composition.

The catalogue discusses The Art of Fugue as an exploration of what a subject can generate through inversion, changes of scale and interaction between voices. Its analogy with CREW concerns the productive role of constraint. The colours form a limited vocabulary, comparable in this respect to musical material that can be reorganised. The viewer can follow recurring colours and changing partnerships while also attending to the arrangement of the paper elements.