Why these all-white paintings are in museums

If you’ve been to an art museum, you may have seen a painting like this.

It sort of just looks like a white canvas, and many people might be shocked to find out that it sold for $20.6 million at a Christie’s auction in 2015.

But the truth is that there is much more to these white paintings than meets the eye. I spoke with Elisabeth Sherman, an assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, about why this type of minimalist artwork is more complicated than it may seem and why it’s okay to have a negative reaction when you look at one.

Watch the video above to see why you should give these paintings a chance — and to find out why I’m a genius.

Will you support Vox’s explanatory journalism?

Millions turn to Vox to educate themselves, their family, and their friends about what’s happening in the world around them, and to learn about things that spark their curiosity. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. Please consider making a one-time contribution to Vox today.

One-Time Monthly Annual

$95/year

$120/year

$250/year

$350/year

Other

$

Yes, I'll give $120/year

Yes, I'll give $120/year

We accept credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. You can also contribute via