Untitled (from Tiles) 1979

Brice Marden made this print, Untitled (from Tiles), using a process that allowed for some interesting marks to happen. I love how the grid is both precise and totally falling apart at the same time! Check out the vertical band of marks on the right-hand side, the way they're clustered together, thick and thin, like a little city skyline. You can sense the hand of the artist in this work, the pressure, the speed, the tiny hesitations. Then, there’s the way the grey tone is applied, thin in some areas and peeling in others, almost like a memory fading. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, who similarly used grids but in a much more rigid way. Marden’s work, though, is all about the subtle imperfections and the beauty of the accidental mark. It’s like he’s saying, "Hey, perfection is boring, let's embrace the mess!" And I’m here for it!