Study for "Ursine Park" c. 1942

Curator: Stuart Davis, born in 1892, created "Study for 'Ursine Park'". It's a drawing, roughly 28 by 22 centimeters, now residing at the Harvard Art Museums. Editor: My immediate impression is one of geometric playfulness, a sort of architectural whimsy in monochrome. Curator: Davis, deeply engaged with modernist ideas, explored how urban spaces could be translated through abstract forms. It seems to hint at the constructed nature of parks, and perhaps the control we exert over nature. Editor: Note the linear quality, the sparseness that lends itself to semiotic interpretation. Each line and plane implies volumes and relationships. Curator: Considering the title, I see a critique of controlled green spaces. What does it mean to create an "Ursine Park"? Does that suggest a zoo? Editor: Perhaps it's an exercise in formal reduction, a study on how minimal forms can evoke a specific place. Curator: It’s interesting how such a simple sketch raises questions about urban planning and our relationship with the natural world. Editor: Indeed, Davis provides a rich tapestry for exploration through deceptively simple means.