Boxcar 1981

Curator: Standing before us is "Boxcar," a 1981 ink drawing by Gene Davis. My initial impression is its bold monochrome contrasts, there’s a definite tension between chaos and control. Editor: Yes, and this seemingly spontaneous abstraction is achieved entirely with ink. Notice how Davis has manipulated the medium, controlling its fluidity and texture to construct various layers. It almost feels industrial. Curator: Indeed, the mid-century modernism Davis championed pushed against formal boundaries and questioned what defines “high art”. Consider that his best-known public works were enormous, collaborative and decidedly in contrast to the elitist spaces that then housed fine art. Editor: I wonder, do you think this was made with brushes or maybe some found tools? There is such variety in the marks! Some areas look deliberately scrubbed and blotted, and others consist of delicate linear drips that were produced almost spontaneously. I would guess that those sections were highly considered actions. Curator: Considering the art market and critical discourse, abstract art during this time occupied a vital role, and how Davis interacted with his contemporary artists and cultural climate definitely shaped his creative output. This piece offers a counterpoint to popular modes of making and offers an accessibility in its immediacy, despite being produced with such a masterful handling of a specific set of industrial means. Editor: You are right, and he really seems invested in the materials themselves and how they might behave on paper—the transparency and opaqueness and ways that the textures suggest rather than define form are amazing! Curator: Seeing the drawing up close gives such an intense insight into Davis’ thought process. How social factors influence artists, how museums embrace innovation while upholding tradition, is an ongoing dance. It is a perfect distillation of his practice. Editor: Absolutely. Davis' focus on materials and his emphasis on accessible production offer an engaging insight into the role that art and craft can have in deconstructing boundaries. It pushes against the preciousness we often ascribe to art. Curator: Ultimately, Gene Davis' "Boxcar" encapsulates both personal artistry and collective narratives of modernism. Editor: This look has inspired me to work with ink—but it is always more complicated than it seems at first glance.