Communicating through a visual language of geometric abstraction, Robert Mangold’s 1993 work, Plane/Figure, ties into his series of paintings and drawings in which he makes a unique curvilinear exploration through the warmth of graphite and line. This work reflects Mangold’s solidification of his views on abstraction. Adjoining two sheets of graphite-drawn paper, Plane/Figure dives into the subtle contrasts between shade, form, and line. Within the graphite-filled structural space, Mangold delves deeper into pillars of his practice, highlighting the interplay of shape within an abstracted form. This large juxtaposition that lies within Mangold’s practice relies greatly on the idea of intuition.
“I would say that I am an intuitive artist, but not an improvisational one. I plan out ahead, but the decisions I make, which become the plan, are intuitive choices. I make a series of sketches or studies and one thing somehow draws me in.”
—Robert Mangold
Through this organic precision that Mangold intuitively creates, the relationship of artist to subject shifts. Mangold focuses on the relationship between surface and shape rather than wholly objectifying the work as the subject. Mangold’s use of free-formed ovals and lines within the rigid geometric border inspires the viewer to think about space: both positive and negative space, and the subtle lyricism created through the abstract form. Mangold’s take on abstraction plays into the contradictory notion of exactitude within the non-figural form. Though seemingly minimalist, each line and curve were drawn with specific attention, almost creating a subtext to the work by testing our perception of size and scale. Mangold takes practical elements of art and design, minutely examining them to create a seamless interpretation of abstraction.
