Graphic Sheet 2-II 1965

This is a print by Karel Malich, it’s called Graphic Sheet 2-II, and was made in 1967. Look at the regimented lines and the ways the artist uses this pattern to make a whole world. The physicality of the medium feels essential here. Imagine the artist pulling the print, the paper soaking up the ink. It’s a very tactile process, and you can feel that intimacy in the finished work. The texture is subtle, but it’s there in the slight variations of each line, the way the ink sits on the paper. See the long horizontal line through the middle. It gives the eye a place to rest, but it also creates tension and pulls against the verticality of the other lines. Malich's work reminds me a little of Agnes Martin, both artists use simple forms to create complex and meditative spaces. But where Martin is all about the grid, Malich feels more organic, more like a landscape. Ultimately, art is about conversation, and Malich’s print is a beautiful addition to that ongoing dialogue.