Agnes Martin's career spanned over seven decades. Though a major influence on Minimalist painters, Martin saw her own work, more closely related to Abstract Expressionism, her paintings being 'meditations on innocence, beauty, happiness and love.' More than 130 of these works can be found in this book. Agnes Martin: Paintings, Writings, Remembrances is the first and only complete career retrospective publication of the visionary painter. This important and beautiful book brings together 130 of Martin's paintings and drawings, with her previously unpublished writings and lecture notes, which vividly illuminate her art. Letters and facsimiles are reprinted in Martin's own hand, and cut to notebook size, adding an element of intimacy for the reader. With the Pace Gallery founder, Arne Glimcher's illuminating introduction, his personal remembrances of visits to Martin at her studio, and their correspondence throughout her career, reveal much about the artist's life and work.
I have only just flickered through - but the layout and originality of this book is impressive! And to get to read Martin's own notes on art and creativity is fantastic!
I think it's always a problem when an author is too close, too intensely involved, with the person they are presenting in what one hopes is a way that allows for a considered point of view. Glimcher is just too invested in Martin to give the reader any perspective on her work.
The format of the book is interesting, though, with Martin's own hand-written notes interspersed with interviews and works of art. I have never been that impressed with her work, even though I love grid-based art as a general rule. But of course, all I had ever seen was reproductions.
So I was lucky to be able to visit the Agnes Marin show at the Guggenheim, a fortuitous synchronicity as I've had the book on hold at the library for a long time. And these drawings and paintings are definitely more powerful in person. The paintings are quite large--and scale matters--and though a lot of them still didn't do anything for me, some, especially the ones where the subtlety of texture made them change depending on where you were situated in relation to them, had magic.
But my favorite works were the tiny drawings--some were painted and then drawn over in pattern with pencil, and the shadings of the water color and wrinkling of the paper (they were not painted on watercolor paper, but thin drawing paper) really appealed to me. Of course, for myself, I thought of stitching as a possibility for the drawn lines, which could add another layer of texture as well. Also, the few sculptural works Martin produced are a treat.
You won't see any of this by looking at reproductions in a book. Martin really is an artist that needs to be experienced.
As to the text in the book, I grew weary of reading, over and over, her strident philosophy of art. She definitely protests too much about her lack of ego when it is everywhere evident in the self-satisfaction and superiority of her words. If the intellect is the enemy of art, then why talk about it al all? let alone endlessly--just do it. And don't talk about how the artist doesn't count when you're inviting your big name gallery to come and get your work to show in New York. Martin also talks about the zen roots of her ideas and art, but the destruction of work because it's not "perfect" is the exact opposite of that philosophy to my mind. And Glimcher, in his interviews and essays, merely reinforces Martin's words.
So--my advice is to skip the book. Go see the actual work if you can. Also, the curator at the Guggenheim does a much better job of presenting both the art and the artist. I was informed, richly, without being irritated at all.
Frightened by a painting, the only time this ever happened was seeing Agnes' paintings. 7 of them in one go at the SFMOMA.
Of course, they were tremendous.
I had heard enough to know I was supposed to used them as objects of meditation. So I did, and one of them communicated something to me that I couldn't handle.
I suspect it was pointing me to the perfection of my own nature, something which I have not yet been able to accept.
"In our minds there is an awareness of perfection and when we look with our eyes we see it."
Her work is so effective, it's my gold standard for art that grows you as a person, a standard I strive for in my art.
As for the physical book itself, it has binding issues. The first book arrived with an unglued spine, so I sent away for a replacement. The replacement Phaidon sent suffered the same fate after a week.
That's okay though, the perfect state is not mine to establish, and so I am free to enjoy Agnes' paintings even if the book falls apart.
Several of the books I put on hold after reading Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency are slowly trickling in. Much to say about Agnes Martin, but reading this and thinking deeply about Agnes's art and what it means to be an artist while finishing up No One's Talking About This almost split my brain in two.
Some of the best writing I’ve read in terms of clarity of thought. Beautiful to think that she had such a strong set of beliefs, knew how she wanted to live, and actually did it. A life of complete realization of belief. Such articulate writing about art and its purpose and meaning as well as the role of the artist. A very relevant and important read for me in relation to my artistic journey and where I’m at as a new graduate. Completely fed and supported my desire to create art and alleviated many of my insecurities about art making and it’s purpose/ the life of an artist. Will be returning to this many times.
This book contains powerful ideas about what it means to be an artist from Agnes's point of view. Agnes Martin was wholly dedicated to her work, to the point that she was a recluse and ate the same things for weeks so nothing would get in the way of her work. There is a great deal to learn from those who devote their lives to their creative work.