Arthropoid 1974

Agnes Denes made this piece, Arthropoid, on paper using pen and ink. At first, it appears totally abstract, like a geometric exercise. But look closer, and you’ll see the density of tiny marks, all working together. This is where the magic happens, right? That she takes a simple vocabulary – pen, paper, and tiny marks – and builds something so complex. Each little line is placed with intention, creating texture, depth, and, dare I say, a kind of pulsating energy. It reminds me that artmaking is always a process of accumulation. Like layering thoughts, or memories, until something unexpected emerges. There's something scientific about it, but the hand-drawn quality keeps it human. It’s like Sol LeWitt doing micro-biology! And that push and pull between the rational and the intuitive is where I think the really interesting stuff lives. It’s not one or the other, it’s both.