Cold Mountain Series, Zen Study 5 1991

Editor: This is Brice Marden's "Cold Mountain Series, Zen Study 5," held at the Tate. The ink creates such a tangled web, it almost feels like a chaotic dance. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The seeming chaos is crucial. Consider the process: Marden's repetitive, almost meditative, mark-making. The ink, its viscosity, the pressure applied—these are all deliberate choices reflecting the labor involved. How might the repetitive nature of the process connect to Zen practices, and how might it challenge Western notions of artistic skill or "genius"? Editor: I hadn't thought about the physical act of making the piece. Curator: Exactly! By examining the material reality of its creation, we can challenge preconceived notions about art and value. Editor: So, the value is in the labor, not just the image? I'll need to rethink that. Curator: Precisely, and how the act of creation mirrors the spiritual intention.