“The process of life is hidden from us. The meaning of suffering is held from us. And we are blind to life.
“We are blinded by pride. Pride has built another structure and it is called ‘Life,’ but living the prideful life we are frustrated and lost. It is not possible to overthrow pride… because we ourselves are pride… But we can witness the defeat of pride because pride cannot hold out. Pride is not real, so sooner or later it must go down.
“When pride in some form is lost we feel very different. We feel victory over pride, and we feel very different being for a few moments free of pride. We feel a moment of perfection that is indescribable, a sudden joy in living.” — Agnes Martin*
GABRIEL—Martin’s only completed film—will screen in conversation with several of her abstract paintings as part of the exhibition FOCUS—AGNES MARTIN in London.
Through April 13.
Lévy Gorvy
22 Old Bond Street, London.
*Agnes Martin, “On the Perfection Underling Life” (1973), in Writings (Ostfildern: Cantz Verlag, 1991), 67.
Agnes Martin, Gabriel (1976), stills, © Agnes Martin/DACS 2019, courtesy Pace Gallery.