CRITIQUE OF THE WEEK #6

Susan Rothenberg

Untitled  

Graphite and conte crayon on paper, h: 17.2 x w: 18.5 in / h: 43.7 x w: 47 cm, 1992

Two fundamental design issues come to mind when studying this exploratory drawing by

Susan Rothenberg. The first is the nature of the line and how it functions formally and expressively. The second is the nature of symmetrical balance and its ability to create

compelling tensions.

LINE

Line is an abstraction. Strictly speaking, there are no lines in nature. Instead, a line is a visual element that serves as an expressive symbol, indicator, or signpost. Through working with line, artists speak a powerful and universal abstract language capable of communicating in a great variety of ways.

In Rothenberg's drawing, what is immediately apparent is how line is used to describe appearances of recognizable forms. Line indicates contour, serving as a symbol for an edge, the place where one shape or form stops and an adjacent one begins.

In addition, Rothenberg showcases line's more general role as shape-maker. Not only does she use it to define the forms, but she uses it to designate a rich variety of negative, positive, and composite shapes. Notice the modified rectangular shapes between the legs, the triangular shapes of the negative spaces between the pairings, the loosely triangular shapes at each corner, and the implied triangles formed by movements extending from each pairing to its opposite counterpart.

Rothenberg also uses line as a powerful indicator of movement and direction. The great majority of her contour lines move your eye from the outside edge into the space's interior. The directional force of the lines leads you to the center where hooves meet in a frenzied cluster (figure 1, detail).

Fig. 1, detail

Finally, the artist takes advantage of the ability of line, through its character and relationships, to evoke mood. All of the lines are exploratory, revealing many attempts at discovering and establishing contours, while leaving remnants that enrich the composition. As a result, Rothenberg's contour lines vibrate from one to the next.

SYMMETRY

In its perfect form , radial symmetry —symmetry structured around more than one axis—is the most stable of all design configurations. However, the results can lack dynamic tension. Impressively, Rothenberg demonstrates how this kind of structure can be “tweaked” to present significant surprises.

To explore this treatment, notice that no two mirrored elements are identical. Each has a character of its own, and the differences between each pairing create subtle tensions. Each pushes and pulls in a unique way. For example, look at the variation in the negative shapes that serve as intervals between the leg pairings. Begin at the bottom and move clockwise to study these shapes: The one at the bottom sits squarely in the center and is roughly equilateral. The one on the left edge is located above center and has rounded edges. The shape at the top is compressed, whereas the one on the right (figure 2, detail) is elongated with a strong directional thrust toward the center.

                    Fig. 2, detail                                                  Fig. 3, detail

Notice the rhythmic nature of the arrangement. Rothenberg creates a feeling of circular rhythm by tipping the horizontal axis so it runs on a diagonal—higher on the left and lower on the right. Then, the artist punctuates the rhythm by emphasizing individual beats in different ways. For example, the rib cage on the upper right is semicircular (figure 3, detail), contrasting with the others that are squared off. The range of variations that Rothenberg explores in this loosely symmetrical configuration is both powerful and exciting.

Steven Aimone

author of DESIGN! A Lively Guide to Design Basics for Artists and Craftspeople

CLICK HERE FOR NEWS ABOUT UPCOMING ART AND DESIGN WORKSHOPS

written in conjunction with Katherine Duncan Aimone

author of The Fiberarts Book of Wearable Art

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ABOUT THE ARTIST

Susan Rothenberg (born 1945) is one of the leading painters of her generation. Born in Buffalo, New York, she received a B.F.A. from Cornell University. She did additional course work at the Corcoran School of Art and George Washington University in Washington, DC.

“Rothenberg first gained critical attention in the mid-1970s, when she introduced the simple outline image of a horse into the austere, canvas plane of Minimalism....rather than denying the use of illusion in painting, she instead explored the relationship between the figure and the painted ground. Since then, Rothenberg has received international acclaim for her paintings, drawings, and prints. Because she has maintained a strict reliance upon imagery throughout her career and wrestled with the lessons of Modernism, she has often been a singular voice in contemporary painting. At the same time, her physical approach and gestural application of paint place her in the tradition of an earlier generation of American painters that includes Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning.”

Cheryl Brutvan

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Our sincere thanks to Linda Hyman (Linda Hyman Fine Arts, New York) for granting us permission to reproduce this image.

For more information

about this drawing by Susan Rothenberg,

please visit Linda Hyman on the web at: