10 1986

Curator: Let's discuss Brice Marden's "10," a small-scale print housed here at the Tate. It's a fascinating example of his exploration with line and form. Editor: My immediate impression is one of controlled chaos. The stark black lines against the white background create a sense of tension. Curator: The materiality is key here. Marden's printmaking, the specific process of etching, allowed for that unique texture and those drips. It's about the act of making. Editor: True, but the composition, those intersecting lines, suggests a hidden structure. Almost like a deconstructed geometric figure. Curator: Exactly, and think about Marden's other works, his engagement with calligraphy, the repetition, it all speaks to mark-making as labor. Editor: For me, it's about the aesthetic experience. The balance, the deliberate contrast—it's formally compelling. Curator: So, we come away with different, but equally valid, perspectives on a single print. Editor: Indeed. Marden's work offers something unique to each viewer.