Black on White, 2011, Robert Irwin. Granite. 60 x 36 x 392 in. This work was commissioned by the J. Paul Getty Trust in honor of James N. Wood. © Robert Irwin
These images show a model of the installation, the quarry in India where the granite was sourced, and the piece after delivery to the fabricator.

Cloud Box, 1966, Peter Alexander. Cast polyester resin. 9 5/8 x 9 5/8 x 9 5/8 in. Collection of Janis Horn and Leonard Feldman, Los Angeles. © Peter Alexander. Photo: Brian Forrest

For People Who Know The Difference, 1967, John McCracken. Polyester resin, fiberglass, and plywood. 120 x 20 1/4 x 3 1/4 in. Collection of the Mohn Family Trust. © The Estate of John McCracken. Courtesy David Zwirner, New York

Gray Column, 1975–76, De Wain Valentine. Polyester resin. 140 x 87 1/2 x 9 1/2 in. Lent by De Wain Valentine. Artwork © De Wain Valentine

Larry Bell in his Market Street studio in Venice, California, 1961. Image courtesy of Larry Bell, Marvin Silver and Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica. © Marvin Silver

Larry Bell in his studio in Venice, California, 1969. Image courtesy of Malcolm Lubliner and Craig Krull Gallery, Santa Monica. © Malcolm Lubliner

Craig Kauffman, ca. 1955. © The Estate of Craig Kauffman. Photo by Ed Moses

Helen Pashgian working in her studio in the 1970s. Photo by Walt Mancini. Courtesy of and © Helen Pashgian

Peter Alexander in 1966. Image courtesy of and © Billy Al Bengston

Helen Pashgian polishing one of her sculptures in the Baxter Art Gallery at the California Institute of Technology in Pasedena for an artists in residence exhibition, 1970. Courtesy of and © Helen Pashgian

Announcement for Frederick Eversley exhibition Colored Parabolic Space at the Quay Gallery in San Francisco, 1971. © Frederick Eversley. The Getty Research Institute, Gift of George Herms, 2009.M.20

Rani Singh of the Getty Research Institute and Jack Brogan, conservator, inspect De Wain Valentine's Red Concave Circle in Brogan's studio in Inglewood, California, June 17, 2011. © De Wain Valentine

Two Gray Walls, 1975–76, De Wain Valentine. Cast polyester resin. © De Wain Valentine. Photo courtesy of De Wain Valentine

Larry Bell’s studio in 1970. Photo by Larry Bell. Image courtesy of Billy Al Bengston

Slideshow: De Wain Valentine’s process of creating Gray Column, 1975–76. © De Wain Valentine. First, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 8th photo by and © Cathy Weiner; 2nd and 3rd photo by Sean Valentine