Untitled 1961

Editor: This is Burgoyne Diller's "Untitled," created in 1961, using graphite and colored pencil on paper. I'm immediately struck by the contrast between the carefully defined geometric shapes and the very raw, almost sketched texture of the graphite. What compositional elements jump out at you? Curator: I'm intrigued by the layered structure of this drawing. Notice how the interplay of rectangular forms—a central void surrounded by planes of gray and accented by smaller rectangles of blue, black, and yellow—establishes a clear compositional hierarchy. Consider also the subtle gradations within the gray, achieved through varying densities of graphite. Do you perceive any inherent relationships among the shapes? Editor: Well, the placement seems intentional, though not symmetrical. The varying colors balance each other out somehow. The texture also reminds me of architectural plans or a blueprint of some kind, even if it’s abstract. What might that mean? Curator: Precisely. The systematic application of the pencil suggests an exploration of space and form based not on imitation but rational arrangement. Think about the way these arrangements impact our understanding, activating the empty spaces to function as palpable forms. Can we truly consider it "empty"? Editor: I guess not, because those white shapes within the gray areas give the other shapes more depth and the sense that there's some architectural element at play. This conversation changed how I saw it. Curator: And that is the beauty of examining form closely. We’ve moved from an initial sense of "sketchiness" to an understanding of a rigorously constructed composition. By carefully considering its visual elements, we arrive at a deeper appreciation.