Agnes Martin | Guggenheim

Agnes Martin | Guggeheim
October 7, 2016 - January 11, 2017

Agnes Martin (March 22, 1912 – December 16, 2004) is a Canada born American abstract expressionist painter. She is one of the major female artists whose work was recognized during 50s and 60s when still the art word was male dominant.
In this exhibition at Solomon R. Guggenheim we can view through her creation from early stage to towards ending of her life.
To me it was interesting to see how she did not deny working with colors, but always went back muted, or mono toned paintings. In 1989, she worked on paintings she calls black paintings, painted with black and grey tones. It is not related but I feel some coincidence that it was a year I was born and also Japan' had its economic bubble burst the same year. I wonder what influenced her to intentionally make those works in 1989.

In 1997,  she reduced the scale of her signature 72 × 72 inches square paintings to 60 × 60 inches square because it finally became physically difficult for her to work on such large canvas. I must say that size of canvas is one of the significant choices that artists make, and that directly affect how the painting looks, it must be for her as well, a big decision. 
60 x 60 inches does in fact give totally different impression compared to her 72 x 72 square inches paintings.

In her words, is a good interview video of Agnes Martin which was played at the exhibition and you can listen to it at here. 

Is it important that she is female, I think it is. It is not because of the period of time in art world I see the significance of her gender, but it is more about what women has and can stay strong put spot light on and to pursue one, very vague, single, unified theme.