Writing about the Agnes Martin exhibit that began at the Tate, moved to Düsseldorf, now at LACMA and (finally!) coming east to the Guggenheim in October, Hilton Als touches on some of my favorite aspects of Martin’s work. From The Heroic Art of Agnes Martin, in the New York Review of Books: On solitude and art making: “We have been […]
Author: deborahbarlow
In Water Opens
In Water, an exhibit currently on view at the Beyond Benign Gallery in Wilmington Massachusetts Putting this show together, getting it installed and then celebrating with friends—pure pleasure. Thank you to so many who contributed to this effort: The great staff under Amy Cannon at Beyond Benign, Jerry Beck at the Revolving Museum, John Warner […]
Tiny Rectangles
Some of my tiny rectangles. (And yes, there are others) Now this is a headline perfectly designed to be click bait for the likes of me: On the Heartbreaking Difficulty of Getting Rid of Books But I’m glad I took the bite since Summer Brennan‘s essay was perfect for me: thoughtful, humorous and yes, reassuring. […]
In Water
Remaya 2, mixed media on wood panel, 36 x 36″ A year ago I had a conversation with Jerry Beck, good friend and founder of the well known Revolving Museum (in Jerry’s nomenclature, a “nomadic nonprofit cultural organization”). We shared an interest in exploring the linkages between art and science, and we agreed that New […]
In the Fragments
Fresco fragment from Piero della Francesca’s Legend of the True Cross, portraying Constantine’s victory over Maxentius in 312. In Arezzo, Italy, Cappella Bacci. I took hundreds of photographs while I was away, but the one I keep returning to is this fragment. A segment from one of the more damaged frescos by Piero della Francesca […]
Taking a Break
Italy last year, in the company of experts (who are now new parents as well) I am out of range for several weeks. I will be back to musing, both fast and slow, on June 1. For updates in the interim: Facebook Instagram Twitter
Irwin at the Hirschhorn Museum
Robert Irwin’s “Untitled” (1969), at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC. (Photo: Drew Angerer for The New York Times, Robert Irwin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York) Robert Irwin holds a particular place in the California annals of contemporary art, and he holds a particular place for me personally. He figured larger than life […]
Incubation and Its Mysteries
My daughter Kellin noodling with her niece Siena 18 months ago Joan Acocella, long standing dance and culture writer for the New Yorker, discusses how the path of a new idea comes into form in her recent article, A Nice Little Talk. She uses a set of conversations held between dancers as a good example […]
Under, Above, Everywhere
Nigralle, by Deborah Barlow Mixed media on wood panel, 36 x 36″ Circulation, by Kay Canavino Digital Archival Print, 13 x 28″ Limantour, by Ramah Commanday Ceramic, 18 x 21″ I’m so happy to be showing my work with two artist friends whose work I admire greatly, Kay Canavino and Ramah Commanday. The idea of […]
Creativity and Meditation
The cosmos suggested in the etchings on an abalone shell In writing about inspiration and meditation, musician and performer Amanda Palmer described the conundrum posed by those two concepts: The songwriter in me struggles like mad when meditating. The rules of my conditioned art-mind say that nothing must stand in the way of a developing […]