Sunday, March 16, 2014

"Throwing The Ink": Pat Steir's Gestural Genius


[All artwork and images copyrighted to Pat Steir and/or her representatives; no infringement intended; images used here solely for non-commercial purposes, i.e., for commentary]



Pat Steir is an artist whose work deeply informs my own thinking about gesture, disciplined spontaneity, form and field.   (Click here for her bio).



In an excellent interview with Phong Bui  in The Brooklyn Rail (click here), Steir says that she was told thrown-ink painting began in the third century:  "I looked everywhere for it, I didn't understand what it was because I couldn't find it.  That was because thrown ink meant broken line, not traditional painting.  The artists did not actually throw the ink.  I was influenced by the idea of throwing the ink but it was just a misunderstanding.  I think a lot of art comes about through misunderstanding."



I just love that, the idea of misunderstanding yielding meaning and beauty.  I think the misguided search applies to life much more broadly.


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