20" Cube 1968

Larry Bell, born in 1939, made this sculpture “20” Cube”. It’s wild to think about how the light moves through this glass cube, shifting from blues to greens and purples depending on where you stand. It is not paint on canvas, but this is still painting! I can imagine him, Bell, working meticulously in the studio, experimenting with the surface of this cube. He’s conjuring optical experiences, just like Rothko with his rectangles of color, or James Turrell playing with light and space. What was Bell thinking about as he layered those thin films onto the glass? Maybe it was about making something that wasn't just a solid object but something ethereal and ever-changing. Artists are always talking to each other across time, riffing off ideas, and pushing boundaries. This cube opens up a space for contemplation. It is a place where you can lose yourself in color and light, and imagine new possibilities.