Untitled (Blue Wall Relief) 1968

Craig Kauffman made this "Untitled (Blue Wall Relief)" at an unknown date, and with unknown medium. The blue just sucks you in, doesn't it? It's like a super-concentrated version of itself, a blue so blue it almost vibrates. The surface is so smooth and reflective it practically begs you to touch it, even though you know you shouldn't. And that shape! Sort of like a flattened lozenge, hard edges but soft corners. It's a weird combination of industrial and organic, like something you'd find in a spaceship designed by someone with a really good sense of humor. What’s cool is the shadow that exists in the relief, as it shows the physicality of the artwork, while the shiny lacquer almost hides the process of how it’s made. It reminds me a bit of John McCracken's planks, but Kauffman's got this whole other thing going on – a playful, almost Pop-art sensibility. It's like he's saying, "Yeah, art can be serious, but it can also be a total trip."