Black (PL100155), 1988
- Medium
- Polyester resin on fiberglass and plywood
- Dimensions
- 100x 15 7/16 x 1 1/2 in. (254 x 39.2 x 3.81cm)
- Accession Number
- 2000.60
- Credit
The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
Gift of The Kotler Family Trust
John
McCracken’s “planks” have long been associated with a uniquely LA aesthetic,
their polished, lacquered surfaces resembling those of customized cars and
surfboards. The manner in which Black
(PL100155) leans casually against the wall contributes to the impression of
a detached California cool. This leaning gesture also endows the tall, slim
object with a sense of volition, as if a painting decided to climb down off the
wall and hang out in the three-dimensional world. McCracken wanted to create
objects that seem like they might come from a UFO. The immaculate finish, offering
no trace of the artist’s hand and betraying no sign of the construction process,
does suggest that the work was born spontaneously, rather than made.
