Art Theory Text with Configuration Diagrams 1942

Curator: This is Stuart Davis's "Art Theory Text with Configuration Diagrams." It’s undated, but we know it was made in 1942. What strikes you about it? Editor: I find it interesting that it's not necessarily a painting, but rather a page filled with the artist's handwritten notes on color and form. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I’m drawn to the text itself. Davis is concerned with the material impact of color relationships and how these relationships generate meaning. He emphasizes the active construction of patterns through the juxtaposition of colors. How does this handwritten element affect your understanding of his work? Editor: It makes me think about the labor involved in artmaking, even the conceptual labor. I hadn't considered that. Curator: Exactly. It challenges the traditional idea of artistic genius. Editor: I see that now! Thanks for pointing that out.