No. 18 1966

John McLaughlin made No. 18 as part of his life-long investigation into the power of pure abstraction. It's big: a square canvas featuring two white rectangles that stand out against a black background. The forms are so simple, so direct, they almost vibrate. I imagine McLaughlin, standing in front of the canvas, carefully considering each brushstroke, each shape. There’s a kind of quiet intensity to the work, a sense of deep concentration. I mean, think about it: what would it feel like to just make a painting with only two shapes in it? How daring! How do you decide where they go? It reminds me of the paintings of Agnes Martin and Barnett Newman - kindred spirits seeking the sublime through the simplest of means. It’s like he’s saying, "Look! This is all you need." And maybe he's right.