Studies for Sackler Gallery Installation 2002

Editor: So, this is Mel Bochner’s "Studies for Sackler Gallery Installation." I find this sketch strangely calming, like a blueprint for a zen art space, perhaps? What do you make of its simplicity? Curator: It’s like peeking into Bochner’s mind, isn't it? A very interior space! The sketch seems to be about the act of arranging, of playing with ideas before they solidify. Do you see how he's labelled elements – "crumple," "transparent/opaque?" Editor: Yes, and "out of focus." It's like he's annotating his own thoughts. Is the simplicity of the lines an invitation to us, to finish his thoughts? Curator: Perhaps. Or maybe it's Bochner inviting us to consider the very nature of perception. The work becomes a playful conversation, a whisper of possibilities. I appreciate the raw spontaneity of it. What do you think? Editor: I agree. It’s like he’s saying, "Here are the ingredients, now you dream the installation." It's strangely liberating to see the art before the art.