74V02 Possibly 1973 - 1993

John Divola created this black and white photograph, 74V02. It's a photograph of a room, I guess, or maybe a corner, and it's been marked with these spray paint gestures. There's this repetitive series of black dots and white lines, like raindrops maybe. I can imagine Divola in this abandoned space, maybe feeling a little melancholy, but also playful. The texture of the walls, with their peeling paint and holes, feels like a collaboration between the artist and the space itself. It reminds me a little bit of Gordon Matta-Clark. But instead of cutting into buildings, Divola is layering his marks on top, almost like he's having a conversation with the building. It is like he is thinking about the ways we leave our mark on the places we inhabit. Like all good art, it's got this uncertainty, a little bit of chaos.