Variant/Adobe 1962

Josef Albers made this work, Variant/Adobe, with oil on masonite. Albers is really interesting because he’s so systematic. His approach feels almost like a science experiment, but with colors. Look at how he’s laid down these greens and blues, each rectangle carefully placed inside the other, creating a sense of depth that seems to vibrate. There's something about the matte surface and the way the colors interact that makes you feel like you could just fall into it. Notice that dark green rectangle, the one closest to the edge? See how it almost feels like a shadow? That’s where the whole painting gets its grounding. You can practically see him, Albers, standing in front of the canvas, brush in hand, meticulously mixing and layering the paint. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids – a similar kind of quiet repetition, but with color instead of line. Both artists show how much can be communicated without any of the usual tricks. The ambiguity is the point.