Monat Dezember XII 89 1989

Hanne Darboven made Monat Dezember XII 89, out of graph paper and numbers and words in ink. I imagine Darboven in her studio, obsessively and repetitively filling each grid. Like Agnes Martin, she’s trying to transcribe an internal idea into a visual code. But what are the numbers trying to tell us? Are they coordinates, dates, or something more abstract? Look at the subtle variations in her handwriting, the way the ink bleeds and pools in places. There are moments of clarity and moments of opacity as the artist has seemingly created 12 different calendars. That grid becomes a container for language but refuses to give up its secrets. In that way, she reminds me of other artists who are similarly engaged in the process of creating visual systems, like On Kawara. These artists are constantly searching for new ways of making connections across time and space. Painting, and art making, is an ongoing conversation; each gesture echoes and responds to what has come before.