A Reflection of the Moon
Art Historian: So, in the end, perhaps they are not so different. While modern minimalism may have started as an aesthetic style, and often remains one, you're suggesting that it can still, inadvertently, act as a gateway. An empty white room might not be the same as an empty mind, but perhaps it encourages a moment of quiet that allows one to notice the mind's clutter. It can be a starting point on a path, even if it is not the path itself.
Zen Master: Exactly. A finger pointing at the moon is not the moon. The minimalist painting is not enlightenment. But if the finger causes you to look up at the sky, it has served its purpose. If a simple, clean room gives you a moment of peace and inspires you to seek the source of that peace within, then it is a skillful tool. The danger is only in mistaking the reflection of the moon in the water for the moon itself. The true path is not about curating a perfect aesthetic, but about cultivating a mind that can find peace and beauty anywhere, in any object, perfect or imperfect.