New Mexico 4 1969 - 1970

Editor: This is Bernard Cohen’s "New Mexico 4," currently residing at the Tate. It's mostly a blank canvas with just a small yellow mark. It feels incredibly minimal. What's your take on it? Curator: Minimalism like this reflects a broader shift in how art was perceived. How can something so seemingly simple challenge the established art world's expectations and hierarchies? Editor: So, it’s a statement in itself? Curator: Exactly! Consider how museums and galleries validated certain artistic expressions while sidelining others. Cohen's work asks us to question those very institutions. Editor: It's more subversive than I initially thought. Curator: Precisely. And that subversion is a key part of its historical significance. Editor: I'll never look at a minimalist piece the same way again.