Untitled #18
Artist: Agnes Martin (American, 1912-2004)
Date: 1995
Dimensions:
H: 60 in.(152.4 cm); W: 60 in. (152.4 cm)
Medium: Acrylic and graphite on canvas.
Classification: Paintings
Credit Line: Gift of David and Georgia Welles
Object number: 2013.164
Label Text:"Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings."
Agnes Martin sought to create works whittled down to their most reductive elements. Her works often feature an emphasis on line, grids, and subtle color fields. Martin’s art was influenced by her interest in philosophies of the Eastern world, especially Taoism, which has added a spiritual dimension to her paintings.
Martin considered herself an Abstract Expressionist, and as such attempted to convey attitudes and emotions through her choice of colors and techniques. In a 1973 lecture she stated, “The function of art work…is the renewal of memories of moments of perfection.” This sentiment is encapsulated in Untitled # 18 where the composition, symmetry, and subtlety of color relationships work together to invoke a mood of awe and reverence.
Agnes Martin sought to create works whittled down to their most reductive elements. Her works often feature an emphasis on line, grids, and subtle color fields. Martin’s art was influenced by her interest in philosophies of the Eastern world, especially Taoism, which has added a spiritual dimension to her paintings.
Martin considered herself an Abstract Expressionist, and as such attempted to convey attitudes and emotions through her choice of colors and techniques. In a 1973 lecture she stated, “The function of art work…is the renewal of memories of moments of perfection.” This sentiment is encapsulated in Untitled # 18 where the composition, symmetry, and subtlety of color relationships work together to invoke a mood of awe and reverence.
DescriptionSoftly delineated graphite grids with four horizontally laid color blocks. Colors alternate between two subtle hues of blue and pink with a very thin strip of white dividing the piece in half. The acrylic is applied very delicately and the blank white canvas is visible through the paint.
On view
In Collection(s)