Untitled from (12 Views for Caroline Tatyana) 1979

Brice Marden created this lithograph print, one of twelve views for Caroline Tatyana, using black ink on white paper. Notice the five vertical lines contained within a rectangle. The simple act of dividing space into segments carries echoes through time. Consider the classical architecture of ancient Greece: rows of columns stand in similar formation, embodying principles of order and harmony. In religious art, these lines might evoke the bars of a gate, or the panels of a sacred door, hinting at thresholds between worlds, the earthly and divine. Think of the emotional weight these divisions carry. Walls define boundaries, creating spaces of safety or isolation. This duality—the ordered harmony versus the potential for confinement—is a recurring theme in human expression. Marden reduces form to its essence, yet the subconscious power of these basic structures remains potent, inviting contemplation on the nature of space and division. So, the motif continues its non-linear journey, resurfacing and evolving in our collective consciousness, a testament to the enduring strength of symbols.