Art Theory Text with Diagram 1941

Curator: This is Stuart Davis’s "Art Theory Text with Diagram," from around the mid-20th century, a fascinating glimpse into the artist's thought process. It's a typewritten page, complete with a hand-drawn diagram. Editor: My first impression is how raw and immediate it feels. It's not polished; you see the process, the artist grappling with ideas. Curator: Precisely. Davis is deconstructing the very act of painting, reducing it to "what, why, and how," then diagramming the dimensionality of the canvas. The writing’s structure is as important as the content. Editor: He even dismisses the importance of "mechanical skill," focusing instead on direct application and the materiality of paint on canvas or paper, elevating the process over technical prowess. Curator: And yet, the diagram, simple as it is, hints at a deeper formal understanding, the very essence of pictorial space. Editor: It's a wonderful example of theory meeting practice, revealing Davis's commitment to the physicality of art-making. Curator: Indeed, a concise, insightful exploration of abstract expression. Editor: A great study of the ideas underlying the art.