Untitled 1976

This Untitled piece was made by Christopher Wilmarth using graphite, collage, and ink on paper. Wilmarth's restrained palette, mostly whites and grays, lets the textures do the talking. It's like he's whispering secrets about form and space. The collage elements have torn edges and rough surfaces, while the graphite lines are tentative and exploratory. Look closely at the top left corner, where a tangle of lines and a collaged rectangle sit. It's a zone of concentrated energy, a little puzzle that keeps the eye moving. The ghostlike vertical lines remind me of Agnes Martin's subtle grids, but Wilmarth's approach feels more improvisational, less fixed. It’s as if he's inviting us into the studio, to witness the act of creation as it unfolds.