Untitled 1971

William Dole made this untitled print, using what looks like stencils and thin washes of red and beige ink. It's like he’s building up a collage of fragments. The color palette is muted but really effective, with the red creating a strong contrast to the beige. The texture of the ink is interesting, almost powdery in places, which gives it a tactile quality. Look how the forms overlap and interact: the way the rectangular blocks intersect reminds me of the grid paintings of Agnes Martin, or maybe even some early hard-edge paintings from the 60’s. I’m particularly drawn to the section with the inscription ‘Objects d’Art’—it’s such a playful use of language and imagery. Dole’s work is a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be loud or grandiose to be impactful. Sometimes, it’s the quiet, subtle gestures that speak the loudest.