1/2 Manilla Curved Area 1967

Robert Mangold made this large wall-mounted artwork, 1/2 Manilla Curved Area, with acrylic and pencil on canvas. These are traditional art materials, but their combination with such elemental geometry leads to something completely new. The canvas surface is seamless, its gently curved lower edge creating a sense of wholeness, but the pencil lines interrupt this, dividing the composition into quadrants, and then bisecting the central two with a triangular form. The acrylic provides an even, neutral ground, allowing the graphite lines to come forward. The canvas is stretched taughtly, underscoring the artwork's emphasis on surface tension. The labor involved in the production process is evident in the careful application of the paint, and the crispness of the lines. Ultimately, this work challenges traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, inviting us to consider the social context, the materials, and the making, as crucial to fully understand its meaning.