Ways of Seeing - The Panza Collection

Robert Barry | It can only be known as something else, 1969

I found this piece to be completely ironic in several ways. For instance, the phrase in itself -- it can only be known as something else -- could be a shot at modern art in general, where some of the titles are either (untitled) or completely obscure from the artwork, giving it a new meaning in different context. It is as if Barry was trying to tell the viewer that art should never be taken at face value, no matter how detailed or simplistic/minimalist it may be.
With this in mind, it then confuses me even more to realize that this piece is so barren and empty except for these words - the words themselves are also very minimalist and simplistic, using no special typography/font to distinguish itself, presenting a message at face value rather than holding more meaning than perceived (i.e., "Is this white wall not really a white wall? Is it more than a white wall? Is the message not a message?"). But going back to the ideas of it being at face value, it once again becomes something that can only be known as something else, creating a vicious cycle of what you want to see vs. what you think you see vs. what you really are seeing.