Untitled 1963

This 'Untitled' piece was made by John McLaughlin; the exact date is unknown, but I see in it a testament to how artmaking is a process of reduction. McLaughlin's surfaces are really smooth, like he's trying to hide the hand, you know? There’s not a lot of texture. The paint is flat, opaque, and it sort of absorbs the light, rather than reflecting it. This reminds me of Agnes Martin in some ways, or Ad Reinhardt. It's like he's taking away all the noise, all the extras, leaving just these blocks of color. Look at the red, for example. It's not a flashy red; it’s muted, earthy. Then you have this cool blue right next to it. These colors play off each other, creating a quiet tension. It makes you feel like you're looking at something fundamental, like the bare bones of seeing. It's almost meditative, like a visual mantra.