Dimensions: support: 1829 x 1829 mm
Copyright: © Estate of Agnes Martin / DACS, 2014 | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: We're looking at Agnes Martin's 'Untitled #5' which is held at the Tate. It is square, very large, and seems to have faint horizontal lines. What do you make of this composition? Curator: The grid structure is immediately apparent. Notice how the subtle variations in the density of the graphite lines disrupt any sense of rigid geometry. Editor: So, it's the imperfect execution of the grid that's important? Curator: Precisely. The deviations from pure form invite a contemplation of the material itself and the artist's hand. This systematic yet flawed approach to composition is very powerful. Editor: I see what you mean; it is both ordered and chaotic at the same time. Thanks for sharing. Curator: My pleasure, observing the interplay between the artist, the material, and its arrangement is key to appreciating art.
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Before 1993, Martin used a six-foot (2 metre) square canvas for her paintings. This size appealed to her for its enveloping relationship with the viewer’s body. She saw it as ‘a size you can walk into’. Martin found the large canvas increasingly difficult to handle as she grew older. She made the decision to reduce the size to a five-foot (1.5 metre) square. This canvas still takes up most of the viewer’s visual field, allowing them to absorb the subtle variations in line, tone and texture without distraction. Gallery label, June 2021
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