Is It Still High Art? 1979

Joyce Kozloff made this painting titled 'Is It Still High Art?' and well, what a question! The intricate patterning is achieved through a delicate and muted palette. I can imagine her building it up bit by bit, each color and shape carefully considered and placed. There is a real sense of curiosity here, I think. What happens if I combine this colour with that shape? Will it work? Will it make a difference? Maybe Kozloff was thinking about the conversations that happen across art history. I see nods to Islamic art and architecture, maybe even a little bit of Matisse in those floral forms. It makes me consider my own practice and how I am always borrowing and stealing from other artists. We are all magpies, picking up shiny things that we like and incorporating them into our own nests. Painting is an ongoing dialogue, each artist responding to what has come before, always asking: what is art? And why does it matter?