Study for "Deuce" 1953

Curator: Stuart Davis's "Study for 'Deuce'" presents a fascinating glimpse into the artist's process. It's a collection of sketches on paper, each exploring variations on a theme, hinting at his dynamic approach to abstraction. Editor: My first impression is a sense of fragmented energy. The sharp lines and geometric shapes create a kind of visual puzzle, challenging the viewer to piece together a coherent image. Curator: Davis was deeply interested in translating the energy of jazz and the urban environment into visual form. This study reveals his focus on the formal relationships between line, shape, and space, prefiguring the finished painting. Editor: Absolutely, and the note scrawled across the top "Line is Color" is a key to Davis’s philosophy. It implies an interest in how line can define not only shape, but also intensity, emotion, and even social space. Curator: Indeed, and these sketches exemplify his attempt to find an American visual language. This work offers a rare and intimate look at his rigorous process of experimentation and refinement. Editor: It reminds us that abstraction isn't merely about aesthetics, but about reflecting a particular cultural moment and the artist's engagement with it. The act of trying to decode the page feels like participating in his process.