Maryan Besaga

In Paganini Caprice II, the musical principle is transformed into a complex system of chromatic rhythms. Geometric modules of varying widths and scales form a multilayered composition in which colour functions much like sound — acquiring duration, intensity, and a tempo of its own.

The vertical bands of colour expand into broad planes and then contract into almost pulsating lines. Variations in their width create a sense of acceleration and deceleration, while the horizontal unfolding of the composition evokes the movement of a musical work through time.

A distinctive feature of the work is the coexistence of several rhythmic systems. The large blocks of colour in the upper section gradually give way to increasingly smaller structures, while in the lower part of the canvas the rhythm intensifies almost to the point of visual vibration. This creates an effect of polyphony, in which several different “voices” simultaneously contribute to a unified whole.

Black planes and verticals introduce moments of silence and contrast. They interrupt the continuity of the chromatic flow, like pauses within a musical phrase, after which the movement resumes with renewed intensity.