Art Theory Text with Scribbles 1951

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis's piece, “Art Theory Text with Scribbles,” currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first impression is of raw, unfiltered thought. It's intimate—a glimpse into the artist's process. Curator: Precisely. Observe the almost frantic energy in the layering of text and graphic marks. It shows a deep engagement with the act of creation. Editor: The repetition of the phrase "A Drawing" and words like "Eah!" point to a questioning of the artistic process itself and a very physical practice of it. Curator: Indeed, the tension between word and image creates a visual rhythm, typical of Davis's work, a kind of visual jazz. Editor: It also speaks to the raw materiality of artmaking—the paper, the ink, the hand moving across the surface, almost like notes in a sketchbook. Curator: It’s fascinating to see how Davis plays with form and language, collapsing boundaries. Editor: It makes you consider the materials and labor that ultimately comprise the finished artwork, even its title.