Key Works

Agnes Martin started painting relatively late in life and quickly absorbed the modernist movements of New Mexico and New York City. Over a decade she developed a rich artistic vocabulary, which set her on a creative path that she followed for the rest of her life. Her paintings and drawings defy characterization. Critics saw the Saskatchewan prairies and the high deserts of New Mexico, yet she denied the connection. Using grids to convey her idea of formlessness, she considered it an emotional state. These key works chart Martin’s early, figurative years, through to the development of her abstract work. They reveal a curiosity for artistic exploration, yet remarkable consistency.