Abstract Composition c. 1921 - 1927

Stuart Davis made this abstract composition of graphite, colored pencil, and crayon on paper. Davis came of age as an artist during a period of immense social and cultural change in the United States. The early 20th century saw the rise of industrialization and the growth of cities, as well as new ideas about identity and representation. Davis, like many artists of his generation, was deeply influenced by these changes. You see how he sought to create a new visual language that could capture the energy and dynamism of modern life. Davis was committed to abstraction as a way to express universal truths and emotions, in contrast to the representational art. The shapes, lines, and colors come together to form a composition, which he felt spoke to the interconnectedness of all things. Davis once said, "I paint what I see, but I also paint what I feel." Think about how the geometric shapes and lines relate to each other, and how they might represent the complexities of modern life. It's a chance to engage with art not just as an aesthetic object, but as a reflection of lived experience.