Buildings 1930

Charles Demuth made this painting, Buildings, with oil and graphite, and it’s kind of like he's diagramming the industrial landscape. The colors are so crisp, the reds of the buildings contrasting against the creamy white sky. Look at how Demuth uses precise lines to define the forms, almost like architectural drawings. It feels like he is trying to capture not just what he sees, but how these structures impose themselves on the environment. I really appreciate the way he handles paint; it’s thin, almost translucent in places, allowing the graphite under-drawing to peek through, like a ghostly echo. There’s a deliberate layering of color and line which creates a sense of depth. You can almost feel the weight of the buildings pressing against the sky. It reminds me a little of Sheeler's industrial landscapes, but with a cooler, more detached sensibility. It’s like he’s saying, here it is, take it or leave it, but either way, it’s part of our world now.