Chart BERy, Charlestown Div. 20 - 1899

Editor: This is Paul Rowell's "Chart BERy, Charlestown Div." It looks like a diagram of some kind, all clean lines and stark contrasts. What do you see in the composition of this work? Curator: The emphasis is decidedly on line and the relationships it creates within the gridded space. Observe how the dominant diagonal line carves the field, acting almost as a division. Editor: So, the formal elements themselves are the subject? Curator: Indeed. We might consider how the grid’s rigid structure contrasts with the more fluid, expressive quality of the hand-drawn lines. The interplay is quite compelling. Editor: That's a helpful way to look at it. I was stuck on trying to decode the data represented. Curator: Sometimes, what is represented is less important than how it is presented.