Marden made this drawing as an art student at Yale University, at a moment when he “became aware of an underlying rectilinear structure which constantly reappeared in my work.” Here, he divides the sheet into quadrants, varying the application of charcoal in each section through multiple layers of manipulation. Above, dark scribbles appear within a midtone haze, while below, more of the white paper shows through in areas where Marden smudged and erased his marks. This early drawing reveals the artist’s concern with the relationship between a work’s surface and its underlying organization, which would inform his lifelong practice.
2024
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