After his groundbreaking Black Paintings, Frank Stella began working on the Aluminum Paintings in 1960. This series marked a significant evolution in Stella's artistic journey, showcasing his experimental spirit and further solidifying his role in the development of minimalist art. The Aluminum Paintings are characterized by their use of aluminum paint, a material typically used for industrial purposes such as painting railings and radiators. Stella was drawn to the metallic quality and shininess of the paint, which added a novel aesthetic dimension to his works, creating surfaces that were simultaneously compelling and resistant to traditional artistic interpretation.

These paintings continued Stella's exploration of non-representational forms, focusing on the physicality and the formal aspects of painting. By employing industrial materials and techniques, Stella further distanced his work from expressionism, emphasizing the art object itself over any representational content. The Aluminum Paintings, like their predecessors, were devoid of illusionistic depth, relying instead on the texture and reflective properties of the aluminum paint to engage the viewer's perception.

The series also signified a departure from Stella's earlier emphasis on flatness. While maintaining a minimalist approach, the reflective quality of the aluminum paint introduced a new layer of complexity, challenging viewers to reconsider their relationship to the artwork and the surrounding space. This body of work, therefore, not only contributed to the discourse around minimalism but also paved the way for Stella's subsequent explorations of form, color, and dimensionality​ (The Art Story)​​ (UO Blogs)​.

The Aluminum Paintings underscore Stella's belief in the importance of the painting as an object, an idea he succinctly captured in his famous maxim, "What you see is what you see." By focusing on the essentials of painting—form, material, and process—Stella's work from this period invites viewers to experience art in a direct and immediate way, without the intermediation of representational imagery or narrative content. This approach has had a lasting impact on the trajectory of contemporary art, influencing subsequent generations of artists and contributing to the broader acceptance of minimalism as a significant artistic movement​ (The Art Story)​​ (UO Blogs)​.