Art Theory Text with Sketches 1949

Curator: Stuart Davis’s "Art Theory Text with Sketches" offers a fascinating glimpse into the artist's process. The text itself argues against traditional analysis, while the sketches suggest a visual exploration of form. How do you interpret the relationship between Davis's words and these graphic gestures? Editor: It feels very raw, like a stream of consciousness. I see the words as the labor, and the sketches as the materiality of the idea. Was Davis advocating for a radical shift in art production? Curator: Absolutely. He's dismantling the hierarchy between intellectual labor and the physical act of creation. Consider the social context: Davis was working during a time of great industrial change, which profoundly impacted artistic practices. Editor: So, the artwork is not just about aesthetics, but also about the changing role of the artist in society? Curator: Precisely. It's a materialist statement about the value of process over product, challenging conventional notions of artistic worth. Editor: That’s a fresh way to look at it; I hadn't considered the labor aspect so explicitly. Thanks!