Blue Block in Three Parts 1966

This striking blue block of some kind of highly polished material was conceived by John McCracken, a West Coast artist who died in 2011. I can only imagine McCracken in his workshop with his blocks of material carefully adding layer upon layer to get that perfect sleek, glossy surface, so pristine that they give the illusion of floating, almost hovering in the space. That intense blue is so arresting, and it's got me thinking about Yves Klein's blue, and Barnett Newman's zips, and the clean, hard edges of Ellsworth Kelly. It also reminds me of surfing for some reason. These artists are all in conversation, riffing on each other's ideas. Even though McCracken's blocks aren't paintings in the traditional sense, he's still using color and form to create a powerful visual experience that's both intellectually stimulating and aesthetically pleasing.