These six paintings form a series that Martin considered a single entity titled With My Back to the World. Its title encapsulates her worldview—that art sits outside of the cares and corruption of the world—and her hermetic lifestyle. Martin often worked in series and sometimes sought to have her works displayed alone. She wanted to envelop viewers within her vision, in this case, pastel bands of blue, peach, and yellow. These six, banded canvases may at first appear to be identical, but with time, attention, and a closer look, their many small variations reveal themselves. Martin was in her mid-80s and residing in an assisted living facility when she made this work. Though she remained strong and lucid, she reduced the size of her larger canvases to 60 x 60 inches so that she could handle them more easily.
In The Studio: Postwar Abstract Painting online course, Coursera, 2017
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Agnes Martin
American, born Canada. 1912–2004 54 works onlineBorn on a farm in rural Saskatchewan, Canada, Agnes Martin immigrated to the United States in 1932 in the hopes of becoming a teacher.
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Minimalism
A primarily American artistic movement of the 1960s, characterized by simple geometric forms devoid of representational content. Relying on industrial technologies and rational processes, Minimalist artists challenged traditional notions of craftsmanship, using commercial materials such as fiberglass and aluminum, and often employing mathematical systems to determine the composition of their works.
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Painting
A work of art made from paint applied to canvas, wood, paper, or another support.
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