Art Theory Text with Sketch 1948

Editor: Here we have Stuart Davis's "Art Theory Text with Sketch," a small, rather enigmatic piece. The sketch itself seems almost like a puzzle. What do you see in this piece? Curator: It's a peek into Davis's mind, isn't it? The doodle almost feels like code, and then you read the text: the irrelevance of vertical and horizontal ratios! It's as if he's saying, "Forget the rules, just *feel* the composition." Makes you want to throw your T-square out the window, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely! I was so focused on finding meaning, but maybe the meaning is… there isn’t one? Curator: Precisely! The real art is in the feeling, the freedom of expression. Davis is practically winking at us, urging us to break free.