The Underside of the Leaf

December  2016

Agnes Martin

 

Short Essays

Freshness:
Especially when the morning air is struck alive
Especially when the stream runs cool and the grass drinks
Especially in sweet sleep when small waves go back on
themselves.
Clear shiny tumbling gay
Soft lifting serene
Allaying thirst
Freshness enters

Staleness:
Because I cannot see
Because I cannot know my desire
Because of burning and ashes
I am looking on my own death
Now in desperation I will help this one, that one
But there will be no help given
There will be hope and determination and no breathing

from Notes

The underside of the leaf
Cool in shadow
Sublimely unemphatic
Smiling of innocence

The frailest stems
Quivering in the light
Bend and break
In silence

This poem, like the paintings, is not really about nature.  It is not
what is seen.  It is what is known forever in the mind.

from Notes

We can not even image how to be humble.

I can see humility
Delicate and white
It is satisfying
Just by itself

And Trust
absolute trust
a gift
a precious gift

I would rather think of humility than anything else

Humility, the beautiful daughter
She cannot do either right or wrong
She does not do anything
All of her ways are empty
Infinitely light and delicate
She tread an even path
Sweet, smiling, uninterrupted, free 

The Thinking Reed

We need more and different flags.
What is the worm of the world that spoils exultation?
One who has become all eyes does not see.
To try to understand is to court misunderstanding.
Not to know but to go on.
Anything is a mirror.
There are two endless directions.  In and out.

from Notes

In the best moments I think “Life has passed me by and I am
content.

Walking seems to cover time and space but in reality we are
always just where we started. I walk but in reality I am hand in
hand with contentment on my own doorstep .

The ocean is deathless
The islands rise and die
Quietly come, quietly go
A silent swaying breath

I wish the idea of time would drain out of my cells and leave me
quiet even on this shore.

Advice  to Young Artists

The life of an artist is inspired, self sufficient and independent
(unrelated to society).
The direction of attention of an artist is towards mind in order
to be aware of inspiration.
Following inspiration life unfolds free of any influence.
Finally the artist recognizes himself in the work and is happy
and contented.  Nothing else will satisfy him.
An artist’s life is an unconventional life.  It leads away from the
example of the past.
It struggles painfully against ints own conditioning.  It appears to
rebel but in reality it is an inspired way of life.

from Beauty Is the Mystery of Life (excerpt)

Composition is an absolute mystery. It is dictated by the mind.
The artist searchers for certain sounds or lines that are
acceptable to the mind and finally an arrangement of them that
is acceptable. The acceptable compositions arouse certain
feelings of appreciation in the observer. Some compositions
appeal to some, and some to others.
But if they are not accepted by the artist’s mind, they will not
appeal to anyone. Composition and acceptance by mind are
essential to artwork.

The Untroubled Mind

I saw the plains driving out of New Mexico and I thought
the plain had it
just the plane
If you draw a diagonal, that’s loose at both ends
I don’t like circles – too expanding
When I draw horizontals
you see this big plane and you have certain feelings like
you’re expanding over the plane
Anything can be painted without representation.

All text from Agnes Martin: Writings

Images courtesy of Arteidolia

Agnes Martin @ the Guggenheim thru January 11, 2017