Agnes Martin

Using the grid system as the basis of her art, Martin developed a form of abstraction that is at once quiet and forceful, restrained and lyrical. Despite the repetition of the elements that make up the grid, irregularities in their thickness, length, and spacing create small variations throughout the sheet. A precarious balance is achieved between the precision of the system and the imprecision of the execution. The modular structure may suggest an aspiration to perfection, but the sensitive lines convey the emotional experience that was central to Martin's conception of art.