Untitled 1965

This is a painting by Robert Irwin, a perfect square of almost-white. Imagine Irwin in his studio, maybe with a scraper in his hand, pushing pigment around. It's not about adding layers but subtracting, smoothing, trying to achieve a perfect, seamless surface. The paint isn’t thick, it’s more like a whisper. It's almost nothing, right? But that’s the point. Irwin is asking, "How little can I do and still call it art?" There is something Zen about it, like a visual koan. I think of Agnes Martin too, another artist who made quiet paintings. It's like they're in a secret conversation about reduction, perception, and the limits of painting. These artists are always pushing boundaries, challenging what art can be. It is a call to slow down, observe closely, and find the extraordinary in the ordinary.