Brice Marden's monochrome panel paintings from the 1960s and 1970s are part of a broader art movement that emphasized minimalism and abstraction. During this period, artists explored the use of bold, saturated colors and the technical possibilities of new materials like acrylic paint. This exploration was part of a larger shift towards minimalism and a focus on color as a primary means of expression. Marden, like his contemporaries, was interested in the perceptual and emotional effects of color and form, moving away from the more expressive approaches of earlier movements like Abstract Expressionism (Whitney Museum of American Art).
The minimalist movement, of which Marden's work could be seen as part, challenged traditional distinctions between painting and sculpture and questioned the conventional relationship between the viewer and art. Minimalists often forced viewers to confront artworks on a physical level, disputing the notion that art should simply be admired for its visual appeal. This approach emphasized the artwork's materiality and its presence in three-dimensional space, often utilizing industrial materials and processes to reduce the artist's hand in the creation of the work (The Art Story).
In parallel, the period also saw the development of lyrical abstraction, a movement that emphasized personal expression through abstraction. While not directly linked to Marden's monochromatic panels, this movement highlighted the diversity of abstract expression during the same era, with artists from around the world contributing to a rich dialogue on abstraction. Lyrical abstraction was characterized by its opposition to geometric and cold abstraction, offering a more emotive and personal approach to abstract painting (Wikipedia).
Brice Marden's work from the 1960s and 1970s can be viewed within the context of these broader artistic trends, where the emphasis was on the exploration of color, form, and material in new and minimal ways. His monochrome panel paintings reflect a period of experimentation and redefinition in the visual arts, contributing to the ongoing dialogue on the nature and possibilities of abstract painting.