Untitled 1963

This untitled painting was made with yellow and white paint by John McLaughlin. It's almost like a kind of reductive process, stripping away everything except these vertical bands. Up close, you can see the subtle texture of the paint, not too thick, not too thin, but deliberate. The yellow is a kind of muted tone, and it sits so calmly next to the white. The way the lines are placed feels carefully considered. There's something almost architectural, like a building facade, but also spiritual. It brings to mind Agnes Martin and her quiet, meditative grids. But McLaughlin's piece is a little bolder, a little more declarative. It's not trying to tell you anything, but it invites you to get lost in its simplicity. Art like this reminds me that sometimes, the most powerful statements are the ones that say the least.