HV4 1983

John Cage made this artwork, HV4, on paper, though I couldn't tell you exactly when. It feels like a landscape but made of textures, not illustrations. It is constructed through a process of layering and juxtaposition. Up close, the material aspects of the work become more apparent. The paper has a rough, handmade quality, with visible fibers and imperfections. The colors are subdued, mostly muted pinks, browns, and creams, creating a sense of quietness. See that band of reddish colour that runs horizontally across the middle of the piece, it looks like a soft mist, or maybe the horizon of some faraway land. There's an area on the left which is denser, and more chaotic, made up of tiny, swirling marks. This piece reminds me of Agnes Martin's subtle explorations of color and line. Both artists share an interest in the quiet beauty of simple forms, and in the idea that art can be a space for contemplation and reflection.