Untitled (Iridescent Cube) 1964

Larry Bell made this Untitled Iridescent Cube out of coated glass and metal, and what strikes me is the way the simplicity of the cube is at odds with the complexity of the viewer’s experience. What’s so cool about this piece is how Bell treats glass not just as a transparent barrier, but as a surface capable of holding light and color. It changes with your viewing position, and the light in the room. The subtle gradations of color across the glass, from pale blues to soft yellows, it's like he's painting with light itself! It reminds me of the way Agnes Martin used to make drawings with a similar quiet luminescence. The cube becomes a kind of optical playground, a space where perception is constantly in flux. It's a reminder that seeing isn't just about looking, but about how we position ourselves in relation to the world.