Untitled 1984

Curator: Standing before us is an untitled ink drawing by Jake Berthot, completed in 1984. Berthot, an artist deeply invested in abstract expressionism and known for his exploration of form. Editor: My first thought? It's like peering into someone's scattered thoughts. A visual whisper of an idea trying to take shape, all delicate lines and uncertain smudges. It's intimate, you know? Like finding a secret doodle. Curator: I agree about the intimacy. We might situate this piece within the context of Berthot's broader artistic concerns; his abstract language often probes the dialectic between intentionality and chance. Consider also the materiality; ink on paper—a dialogue in itself. Editor: Absolutely! And there's this lovely dance happening between the frantic scribbles and these calm, elongated strokes. Like the calm is trying to wrestle control of the chaos. Which is so very life, right? Curator: Indeed. We can observe how this internal struggle mirrors broader anxieties pervasive throughout the mid-1980s. This particular intersectional approach, through the artist’s hand, creates a uniquely gestural narrative. What do you think about the abstraction on view here? Editor: Well, it definitely lets my imagination run wild! It makes me think of birds taking flight, or maybe branches heavy with unshed snow... or simply an artist just exploring the feel of pen on paper. I appreciate the ambiguity; it refuses to be pinned down! It is more process than product. Curator: I would argue, however, that that interplay IS the product—an important record of Berthot's internal explorations made visible on a tangible plane. The negative space then takes on significant presence. Editor: I get that. It’s more than just what IS there, but also what isn’t that brings out the tension of his mark-making! So, where do you come out after examining this ink drawing more closely? Curator: My perspective is certainly strengthened by the understanding that Berthot contributed to the important discussions surrounding abstract art of his time. But where abstraction often gets read as a-political or absent of social context, his work should not be divorced from its milieu. Editor: And for me, it's a good reminder to embrace the unfinished, the imperfect, the little bits of chaos that make life, and art, so fascinating. And it’s also beautiful to realize that even a simple pen and ink can create that.