Morning 1965

Editor: Agnes Martin's "Morning" is a large, subtle grid on canvas. It's so understated; it almost disappears. What role do you think abstraction played in challenging the art world's status quo? Curator: Well, the monochrome grid, especially in the mid-20th century, acts as a rejection of the heroic, expressive gestures of Abstract Expressionism, a challenge to the art market's demand for easily digestible narratives. Editor: So, its very lack of overt statement becomes its political statement? Curator: Exactly! It prompts us to question what we value in art and the systems that perpetuate those values. What did you take away from this piece? Editor: I see now how its quietness can speak volumes.