Convention 2002

Robert Ryman's square canvas is covered in delicate white brushstrokes, hovering just above a warm-toned ground. Can you imagine the artist’s hand moving across the surface, layering and building up the paint, almost like a quiet, rhythmic meditation? I feel for Ryman, he was so committed to his vision. With each stroke he seems to be asking, ‘What is painting? What can it be?’ The paint is applied thinly, creating a subtle texture that catches the light. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's work. See how the painting’s boundaries aren't exactly precise, as if the image could keep going, expanding outwards? These artists are all speaking to each other, across time and space. Their art isn’t about answers, it’s about the questions they keep asking, inviting us to join in their search. They are inviting us to slow down, pay attention, and find our own meanings in the act of seeing.