Art Theory Text with Star and Space Division Diagrams 1942

Curator: Here we have Stuart Davis' "Art Theory Text with Star and Space Division Diagrams," likely created around 1942. It's a fascinating glimpse into his artistic process. Editor: It looks like a chaotic manifesto! A burst of handwritten text crossed by a vibrant star. I wonder what kind of labor went into drafting this. Curator: Absolutely. Consider the material—paper and ink. Davis was deeply invested in the mechanics of production, and we know he often incorporated text into his paintings, blurring boundaries between writing and image-making. Editor: And the date—1942. With the war raging, how did those social and political anxieties shape Davis’s artistic thinking and this… explosion of text? Curator: It’s a complex relationship. Davis sought to create a distinctly American modernism, separate from European influences but engaged with the world around him. Editor: So this text is his battlefield? A place to resolve contradictions and develop new relations, perhaps? Curator: It's a potent snapshot of an artist grappling with the complexities of his time and translating it into something uniquely his. Editor: This makes me look at Davis's paintings in a new light, understanding the theoretical labor embedded within his compositions.