4 Mars 1973 (from Today Series) 1973

On Kawara painted '4 Mars 1973' as part of his 'Today' series, and these paintings are like little time capsules. What strikes me is the tension between the mechanical precision of the lettering and the handmade quality of the paint itself. You can almost see the brushstrokes in the background, little imperfections that give it life. And the way he mixes the paint to get that particular shade of gray, not too light, not too dark, just right. It's kind of like he’s trying to capture a moment, a single day, in a way that's both objective and deeply personal. Look at the texture of the paint, how it catches the light, it's so subtle, but it's there. It reminds me of Agnes Martin, another artist obsessed with the nuances of color and surface. It's about slowing down and really seeing. There's a quiet beauty to that, don't you think?