"One aspect of the recent paintings involves the idea of space-as-container, which can be filled in a procedural way. Thus, whatever the canvas can accommodate within a given predetermined system is the contents of the painting. The space of the paintings to date breaks down into two types. The first is a kind of human space mainly defined by a sense of horizon and accompanying gravity; there is no sense of lateral restriction, the landscape could continue beyond the actual edges of the canvas. The second type of space—far more interesting to me—involves the idea of the canvas as a container, the edges of the canvas being the inner dimensions of a receptacle. How the contents adjust themselves to their container is the obvious subject of this type of painting. My attention is attracted to objects that accommodate themselves to the space, forms which will not bend or change shape to allow for more units or more compact packing. This is a radical departure in appearance from the less rigid forms; however, the underlying logic is the same."

-Notes to Myself Regarding the Black Paintings, 1974