Angle Theory Diagrams 1932

Curator: Stuart Davis's "Angle Theory Diagrams," now held at the Harvard Art Museums, presents a fascinating glimpse into the artist’s process. Editor: It looks like a page torn from a notebook—a set of diagrams with handwritten notes. Intimate in scale and utilitarian, somehow. Curator: Davis, rooted in early American modernism, engaged with jazz age rhythms and commercial culture, but this work hints at the underlying geometric structure he sought. Editor: Yes, it's about the relationships between forms—the pure geometry of the square broken down, seeking harmonic proportions. The lines and angles almost vibrate on the page. Curator: Absolutely. The diagrams reflect the influences of dynamic cubism, which ties it to the larger question of how European avant-garde art was translated and adapted by American artists in the interwar period. Editor: Ultimately, it is about distilling reality to its essential components. It's as if he's trying to crack the code of visual harmony. Curator: Indeed. Davis's diagrams were about constructing his visual language. Editor: A peek into the artist's mind, then.