Thursday 2 December 2010

Agnes Martin and Richard Tuttle

If you live near the coast, like I do, and you like to go for a walk, you can either go into the woods or you can go out by the sea.

In the woods you will walk on a narrow path, see the footprints of animals on the snow, admire the beauty of dry, wrinkly flowers against the sparkling white ground - in short: all the small, humble signs of life so easily passed by. By the sea you can gaze at the horizon, the vastness of the ocean, the small ripples forever repeating themselves on the water, the sameness all over and the feeling of awe by it. It struck me today, when I chose to walk in the woods, that this choice relates to Richard Tuttle (artist, living), while the sea-choice relates to Agnes Martin (artist, dead). It was quite obvious when I began to think about it.

See for yourself:

Richard Tuttle: Section IV, Extension E (17,8x13,7x11,4 cm)
Agnes Martin



Martin and Tuttle were close friends since the mid 1960s, and even though their work is very different, not only regarding scale  (ex: Agnes Martin's paintings were typically huge; 180x180 cm, Tuttle's work is small), it's as if they are two sides of the same coin. Like going for a walk when you live by the coast.