Nine 2001

Robert Indiana made this sculpture of the number Nine in an undetermined year. The shiny, smooth surfaces of the black and gold planes give off a bold graphic punch. The industrial finish removes any trace of the artist’s hand. It is as if it's created by a machine, elevating the idea of the number itself. I like how Indiana balances the hard edges with curves, playing with positive and negative space. The number itself is a void, a way through. But the gold surfaces suggest light, movement, and something more fluid and sensuous. It reminds me of the work of artists like Roy Lichtenstein, who also took everyday imagery and blew it up to a monumental scale. Like his Pop Art contemporaries, Indiana challenges our perception of value, asking us to consider the beauty and significance of the mundane. I like that. It is a good reminder to stay open to the possibilities of interpretation.