Record 1983

Robert Ryman created this painting called ‘Record’ with paint, and most likely a brush. Here, the painting becomes a place where we notice the subtle shifts in white. It’s all about the layers of paint, the brushstrokes, and the way light bounces off the surface. It almost feels like Ryman is saying, “Hey, look closely, see what happens when you really pay attention?” I imagine him in his studio, quietly applying layer after layer, each stroke building on the last. He’s not trying to create an illusion or tell a story, but rather to show us the pure, unadulterated essence of painting itself. It makes me think about Agnes Martin, too, and the way she used repetition and subtle variation to create these deeply meditative spaces. It's as if Ryman is reminding us that painting is an ongoing investigation, an open question.