Samuel Kudish Void #1 Black and White Cross Relief Tempura on Plywood 1977/78

This monumental wall-mounted sculptural painting, titled Void #1, was created by Samuel Kudish in 1977–1978 in the artist’s Israeli studio, shortly before his relocation to Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Executed in tempera on plywood, the work exemplifies Kudish’s mature engagement with architectural form, spatial perception, and the dialogue between painting and sculpture.

The composition takes the form of a bold black-and-white cross perhaps referencing the Suprematist paintings of Malevich and Maholy- Nagy., It is constructed in deep relief, projecting outward from the wall to create a powerful sense of depth and shadow. The recessed central void—painted in matte black—functions as both a physical and conceptual focal point, inviting the viewer to consider absence as an active compositional element. The crisp white exterior planes contrast sharply with the dark interior volumes, heightening the work’s optical tension and sculptural clarity.

Kudish’s background in monumental art, mosaics, fresco, and architectural commissions is clearly evident in the work’s precision and structural authority. The piece reflects his lifelong interest in integrating fine art with built space, an approach shaped by his academic training in Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and Lviv, as well as his extensive experience executing large-scale public works in Israel and the former Soviet Union.

Created during a pivotal transitional period in the artist’s career, Void #1 stands as a compelling example of Kudish’s postwar abstraction—where geometry, material, and negative space converge. The work is both visually commanding and conceptually restrained, making it an exceptional statement piece for contemporary interiors or collections focused on late 20th-century sculptural painting.