Sketch of a Beach Cabana IV (recto and verso) 1950

Curator: The Harvard Art Museums hold this intriguing sketch by Ellsworth Kelly, called "Sketch of a Beach Cabana IV." It's a pencil work on paper, measuring about 27 by 21 centimeters. What's your initial feeling about it? Editor: I find it quietly arresting. There's an almost reverential stillness to its precise lines, like it's trying to capture the very essence of 'beach cabana'. It also has something nostalgic, a suggestion that this piece is a cultural artifact. Curator: The notes scrawled around the edges offer a peek into Kelly's process. He's marking down various color values—shades of orange, yellow, and white. He is mapping emotional resonance through colour. Editor: Yes, the notes are like secret clues! It's as if he's trying to unlock the perfect combination of visual elements to evoke a specific feeling of placidity, as if the painting itself were the cabana, providing shelter. Curator: The cabana becomes a vessel filled with memories. I think Kelly’s reduction of form allows the viewer to project their own experiences onto it. Editor: Exactly. I’m seeing sunshine and sand, while someone else might see something entirely different. It's a beautiful invitation.