Art Theory Text with Sketch 1952

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis's "Art Theory Text with Sketch" residing at the Harvard Art Museums. The dimensions are around 28 by 22 centimeters. Editor: My first thought is it looks like pure creative chaos, all those lines. Curator: Davis was deeply engaged with the social and political currents of his time. His art reflects a drive to capture the energy of modern urban life in America. Editor: You see how the sketch itself seems almost technical, like an instruction manual? That materiality, combined with the handwritten text, complicates the high art versus craft divide. Curator: I agree, but I also see a commentary on the role of the artist within a rapidly industrializing society. Is the artist a technician, a laborer? Davis is grappling with it all. Editor: Absolutely, thinking about Davis's process in relation to the society's productive forces gives the piece added weight. Curator: Yes, food for thought on the ever-evolving landscape of labor and art. Editor: An important reflection on how art mirrors the world of work.