Art Theory Text with Diagrams 1938

Curator: The artwork before us, “Art Theory Text with Diagrams,” is by Stuart Davis. It's held at the Harvard Art Museums and offers insight into Davis's artistic thought process. Editor: It feels like a glimpse into the artist's brain. The squares, the text... like visual equations scrawled on a page. Curator: The diagrams, seemingly simple, echo Davis's fascination with geometric abstraction. Notice how even the text becomes a visual element. "The basic coordinate" points to his interest in fundamental forms. Editor: Yes, and how he’s trying to break reality down, find a way to divide a square that resonates with nature. It's like he's searching for the DNA of art. Curator: Exactly. And this search, "the formulation of the artist's question," reveals the core of his creative method. The square, a symbol of order, then disrupted. Editor: It is like watching him question his own process. It makes you want to grab a pencil and start diagramming your own thoughts, your own realities. Curator: It makes one think about how simple shapes and symbols underpin more complex ideas and expressions. Editor: Absolutely. And how essential it is for any artist to constantly question their process, to keep the dialogue with reality going.