Color Theory Diagram 1952

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis' "Color Theory Diagram" from the Harvard Art Museums. It’s an ink drawing on paper. Editor: It's so spare, almost like a child's drawing, yet it feels deeply considered, you know? There's a quiet intensity. Curator: Yes, but look closer. The diagram uses ink and handwriting to explore color relationships and tonal contrasts. These notations of color relationships show Davis grappling with the mechanics of seeing. Editor: It’s the artist trying to decode his own creative process. He’s literally mapping out the sensations. Curator: It's about the material conditions of perception itself. Davis attempts to codify how our eyes and brains work with color. Editor: So, in a way, it’s less about the art object and more about the art making process! Curator: Exactly, and that process involves specific, material investigations into color. Editor: It feels like Davis is giving us a backstage pass to his artistic mind. It’s really quite special.