Journal II, 1991:Richard Artschwager:formica and acrylic on wood:Two panels: 56 x 172 in. (142.2 x 436.9 cm) left; 80 x 51 in. (203.2 x 129.5 cm) right:© Richard Artschwager / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York:Richard Artschwager!, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles.

The piece Jounrnal II,1991 is a profound composistion because it explores aspects of Utilitarian objects through references of minimalism. The title chose are usually clinical or oblique provoking thought process and conceptualization through the piece itself. One of Artschwagers infamous quotes is precisely that “Art is thought experiencing itself” a photograph of work. He also enjoys the exploration of the utterly dysfunctional. This piece directly explores conceptualizations of the faux pictorials. Faux pictorials are essentially discourse about what illusion can mean through the happenings of abstraction. The Mediums of painted wood and Formica directly comment on the conceptualizations behind subject matter. Considering the wood is painted over and the juxtapositional elements of Formica is essentially a photograph of wood applied to usually a wood surface comments of the illusionary principals of the medium and how they interact with one another. I personally am found of the way the piece is displayed on a wall. Using the corner to draw on notions of different blossoming trajectories and how differences in physical and metaphorical direction result in different results is rather poetic. I also enjoy the attention to detail associated with the angularities of the composition, considering that the piece is abstracted the mind can play with the different elements of the physicality and the metaphorical connotations attached to the artwork.