Untitled 1946

Curator: This small, untitled artwork is by Leon Polk Smith. Note the circular format, roughly 25 centimeters in diameter, currently residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My first thought? It feels like a playful maze, doesn't it? Black and yellow shapes floating on a creamy background. Curator: Smith was a master of geometric abstraction. His style developed from the hard-edge painting movement, where clean lines and flat colors were prioritized, rejecting any trace of gestural expression. Editor: I love that rejection! It’s almost like a diagram of thought. I can almost feel Smith mapping out his idea of what color and space should be. Curator: Smith was deeply influenced by his indigenous Choctaw heritage, which valued non-Western perspectives. This background profoundly impacted his view of space, especially his use of the circle. Editor: So, in a way, it's like reclaiming the squareness of modern art with a round sense of openness. I like that. Curator: Indeed. It's a lovely example of his lifelong commitment to minimalist form with maximum expression. Editor: Yes! It feels both contained and limitless. I love the tension.