Leaves 1966

Agnes Martin made this painting, 'Leaves', with graphite lines and gesso, a kind of primer, maybe sometime in the nineteen fifties. It's so minimal, yet feels handmade, because each line varies, like a breath held, then released. I'm interested in her repetitive mark-making. How her hand moves across the canvas, making subtle shifts. The grid is slightly off, isn't it? The material is so present here. Not much paint, just the weave of the canvas showing through the gesso. Think about the physicality of the medium, how the texture shapes our experience. When you are stood close to the work you can see the care taken in the execution of the work and the subtle colour of the lines. I see Agnes in her studio, pondering the nature of things, simplifying everything down to these essential forms, connected to other artists through the ages, inspiring us all to see the world in new ways.