Sketch 1952

Editor: So, this is "Sketch" by Stuart Davis. There's no date listed, but it's in the Harvard Art Museums collection. It's a pen and ink drawing, and it feels very…diagrammatic, almost like a flowchart. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Immediately, I'm drawn to the words "Subject," "Function," and "Logic." Davis was deeply engaged with the social and political role of art. I wonder how these terms relate to his artistic process or his view on the purpose of art in society at the time. Perhaps he's deconstructing traditional artistic categories? Editor: Deconstructing? That's interesting. Like, breaking down the idea of what art *should* be? Curator: Precisely. Consider the context: Davis was working in a period of great social and artistic change. The grid-like structures and fragmented imagery suggest a rejection of straightforward representation. It’s a commentary on how we perceive and categorize the world. Editor: I see. It's more than just a sketch; it's a statement about art itself. Curator: Exactly. And it challenges us to question the very functions and logic we apply to art and life.