Mensaje N. 13, Deut. XXVII:17 1959

Mathias Goeritz made 'Mensaje N. 13, Deut. XXVII:17' to send a message and I think it is all about the process. The surface has this kind of delicious, crusty texture, a deep, warm yellow like baked earth, feels like something ancient. Three dark lines run down the rectangle which break the yellow into tiles, like a minimalist grid. The lines end with a dark circle, like nail holes. The paint is built up in layers. You can see the history of how it was put together, the materiality of it all. And then, this strange, silvery-grey shape is slapped on the left. It’s rough, like a piece of torn metal, contrasting with the careful lines and circles. Look at the way the light catches the edges. For me, it shifts everything, adds a jolt of rawness, as if the artist is saying, "Don’t get too comfortable". It brings to mind the work of Antoni Tapies with the layered material qualities, but Goeritz’s piece has a visual language all of its own. It doesn't give you easy answers, and that’s what makes it interesting.