Ice Box (P506) 1969

This is a piece by Gene Davis called Ice Box, and what's so striking is the all-over field of stripes in such muted colors. Imagine the artist working on this, carefully applying each stripe, one after the other, a meditative, almost hypnotic process. How many stripes are there? And what a commitment to this repetitive gesture. What’s so cool about it is how the subtle differences in tone create a kind of shimmering effect, making the surface come alive with quiet energy. I can't help thinking of Agnes Martin. Both artists share an interest in seriality and repetition. With both Davis and Martin you get a sense of the artist trying to find something beyond the surface of the canvas, something transcendent. They show us that painting is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time. It’s all about experimenting and following your intuition, right? And trusting that the process will lead you somewhere new and unexpected.