Untitled 1951

Dorothy Dehner made this untitled artwork on paper, using gouache. It’s got these angular forms, like shards of something, or maybe looking into a crystal. I'm drawn to how Dehner lays down the colour—there's a real sensitivity in her choices. Notice how she uses thin layers of gouache, almost transparent in places. In some of the shards, she adds these radiating lines. They're not quite precise, but that’s what makes it sing. Look at the shard at the bottom of the image, filled with radiating brown lines. It feels almost like she's mapping out a territory. The paint is thin enough that you can see the texture of the paper underneath, which gives it a sense of depth and history. You might see the influence of someone like Agnes Martin in this piece, with the muted colors and the focus on line. It’s a reminder that art is a conversation, with artists responding to each other across time.