June 19, 1967 (from Today Series, No. 108) 1967

On Kawara made this "Date Painting" on June 19, 1967, as part of his "Today Series." You know, when I look at this, I think of how the simple act of marking time can become monumental. The red background is so flat and bold, but when you get up close, you can see the slight variations in the paint. It's not just a solid field of color. And those crisp, white letters, carefully hand-painted – they remind me of graphic design. They're almost too perfect, yet you can sense the human touch. I wonder if he used tape, or a stencil? There’s something so matter-of-fact about the presentation, but when you look at the little imperfections, it becomes really intimate. The way he repeats this format, day after day, is not unlike the work of Hanne Darboven, she's another artist who had a very obsessive mark making practice. Both artists remind me that art is really just the ongoing conversation that we are having with ourselves.