Agnes Martin 1912, Macklin, Canada-2004, Taos, NM, USA
182,9 x 182,9 cm
Further images
“When I think of art, I think of beauty. Beauty is the mystery of life. It is not in the eye, it is in the mind. In our minds, there is an awareness of perfection.” – Agnes Martin
The ethereal layers of color in Innocent Love mark the pinnacle of Agnes Martin’s mature artistic journey. The work embodies a tranquil, almost meditative ambiance, drawing the viewer into a serene, entrancing space. Influenced by her three decades in Taos, New Mexico, the piece reflects the wide, open landscapes with its expansive horizontal bands. The warm hues evoke the soft glow of a southern sunset, while the work’s intellectual rigor reveals Martin’s deep engagement with gesture, material, and technique, creating a realm of boundless emotional resonance. This delicate balance between lyrical expression and geometric restraint cements Martin as a central figure in post-war art history.
“I want to draw that quality of response from people who leave themselves behind, often experienced in nature, an experience of simply joy… My paintings are about merging, about formlessness… A world without objects, without interruption.” – Agnes Martin
Exhibitions
Agnes Martin / The ‘80s: Grey Paintings, The Pace Gallery, 534 West 25th Street, New York, Sep16–Oct 29, 2011;
Agnes Martin (retrospective exhibition), Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom. Jun 3–Oct 11, 2015;
Traveled to: - Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf, Nov 7, 2015–Mar 6, 2016;
- Los Angeles County Museum, USA. May 29–Sep 11, 2016;
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, USA. Oct 7, 2016–Jan 4, 2017 (Cat.)
Agnes Martin. The Distillation of Color, Pace Gallery, New York, May 5–Jun 26, 2021
Publications
Bohnacker, Siobhan. 'Grey's Anatomy' (The Pace Gallery exhibition review). Dossier, 2011
Agnes Martin. Tate Modern, London. Tate Publishing, 2015. pp. 155, 260 (ill.)
Catalogue Raisonné Number: 1989.001. Published digitally by Artifex Press