Untitled 1971

Curator: At first glance, this looks like a diagram for some kind of strange, mechanical contraption, all sketched in very fine ink. Editor: This is an untitled work by Keith Martin, created in 1971. Martin was a British artist who embraced abstraction, often using line and form as primary elements. You can see both here, as the artist focuses solely on pen and ink to describe space, shape, and texture. Curator: There is a distinct air of surrealism, wouldn't you say? I am thinking of how anxieties surrounding technology at the time, perhaps even a reaction to the cold precision of industrial design might explain the subject matter of something technical but presented in a deliberately organic and human way. Editor: The composition does lead one to contemplate multiple viewpoints, or perhaps even challenge perspective altogether. The upper portion of vertical marks feels more symbolic. And in contrast, the lower register describes forms using shadow, implied mass... almost creating a push and pull within the visual field. The work is so dynamic! Curator: Martin had several exhibitions during the late 60s and early 70s. In this time, he was wrestling with the ideas of what art should achieve. The contemporary art world had changed a lot. Do you believe that pieces like this provided an entry point into art for new audiences? Editor: Well, this drawing's reliance on linear forms, with minimal shading, gives it an almost architectural quality. Perhaps these qualities point back to his training, with this type of piece representing the influence his artistic upbringing had on his craft. But if Martin intended his drawings to broaden his audience, it is safe to say his attempt was, indeed, successful. Curator: Interesting considerations. I find myself intrigued by Martin's ability to weave social concerns with artistic innovation. Editor: And I am impressed by the way in which such simple means of lines, shapes, forms... are capable of evoking a full and interesting conversation.