Untitled 1967

Curator: Here we have an untitled graphite print from 1967, created by Hedda Sterne. It's a study in gradations of light and dark. What are your initial thoughts? Editor: A sea of textures! Immediately, the density and almost tactile quality of the graphite work is apparent. The stark monochrome palette emphasizes the surface itself, inviting the eye to decode the mark-making. Curator: Right. The marks are critical. Looking closer, we can consider Sterne’s process – the layering and hatching she must have employed to build up such varied tonal ranges using a common material – graphite. Do you consider that these marks repeat and constitute to a form or a pattern? Editor: Undeniably! Note how the rhythmic arrangement of marks creates visual planes. It evokes a subtle tension between order and chaos. Do you perceive any structural relationships at play here? Curator: Precisely! This period marks Sterne’s experiments with what she called "vertical-horizontals." These weren't just about surface abstraction but also about spatial organization using those marks. Think of the impact of post-war industrial production influencing artistic labor. Editor: That’s astute. One could read this artwork within the broader context of abstract expressionism; it's as if the graphite stands in for paint, translated through a print medium, where the materiality takes center stage. Curator: I'd say this reveals something fundamental about art-making itself—how humble materials, elevated through dedicated process, can resonate profoundly, provoking discourse across artistic practices and labor conditions in the wider world. Editor: Ultimately, this artwork compels us to see and feel the very essence of material and form interacting on the plane, engaging not only visual sense, but inviting kinesthetic perception. Curator: Well, considering Sterne's attention to process, production and labor, I’m seeing new details even now. Editor: Indeed. Every viewing unearths a fresh encounter with the artist’s vision.