Untitled 1961

This is an untitled painting by Robert Ryman, made with white paint on a square of canvas. You know, Ryman was all about the process, about what happens when you put paint on something. Here, the paint is thick, laid on in these little slabs, almost like frosting. Look closely and you can see the canvas peeking through here and there. It's like the painting is breathing, letting you in on its secrets. And the texture, oh man, it's so tactile, you just want to reach out and touch it, feel all those little ridges and valleys. There are tiny hints of other colours, pale blues and greens, just enough to make the white sing. It reminds me of Agnes Martin, another artist who knew how to make quiet paintings that really make you think and feel. These aren’t paintings with answers; they are paintings of questions.