Black Painting 1964

Ralph Hotere made this striking "Black Painting" – we don't know exactly when, but it's a testament to the power of simplicity. The black is so dense, so matte, it's like a void, sucking in the light. Look at how he's built up the surface. You can almost feel the texture, the way the paint sits on the canvas. It’s not about hiding the process, but revealing it. He leaves traces, ghosts of his movements. It's this layering that gives the work its depth, its mystery. The orange squares, sharp and vibrant, pop against the darkness, creating a tension that’s both unsettling and beautiful. Hotere's work reminds me a little of Ad Reinhardt, in the way it pares painting down to its bare essentials. But while Reinhardt aimed for a kind of ultimate, reductive statement, Hotere feels more open, more personal. It’s a painting that invites you to look, to feel, to contemplate the unknown.