Four Panels 1971

Ellsworth Kelly made this ‘Four Panels’, painting four different colors that feel so incredibly balanced. Kelly lets the painting process remain visible; it’s not about hiding the work, but revealing it. The colors! That almost artificial, bright green, right next to the matte, deep black, then a vibrant, primary red, ending with that blue. These colors are solid, but when you look closer you can see the subtle imperfections. In the red, you can see the brushstrokes. It's almost like a stain, it seeps into the surface. It’s this physicality, the way the color sits there on the surface, that makes it so interesting. Kelly’s work reminds me of Agnes Martin, another artist who understood the power of simplicity and quietness. It is so much about looking closely and being present. Art is like a conversation, constantly evolving and changing over time.