3August 2006
5 prominently crafted motifs in Agnes Martins work:
1. Pencil lines that aren’t as straight as they were intended to be.
2. White acrylic paint washed over the entire surface.
3. The unusual perspective of her compositions offers a mysterious view.
4. She was obviously pleased with the results of her sense of identity.
5. Her faithlessness to formal concerns with elements of self importance.
okay, slightly less cynical…
Her painting, “Untitled #7,” is a perfect example of how truly simple and honest Agnes Martins work is. I applaud her for following her generation’s practices of traditional craftsmanship. She performed the challenging task of successfully painting allegories, best know as naturalistic portraits of ideas.
And although I am having a little fun here at her expense, I have always enjoyed the minimal expressionless work of Agnes Martin. This painting is part of the permanent collection of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Agnes Martin
American, 1912-2004
“Untitled #7”
1984, acrylic and pencil on canvas.
“My paintings are not about what is seen. They are about what is known forever in the mind.”
-Agnes Martin