Description
Proposal For The Future, 1974
Pencil/watercolor on Arches
Signed
19 x 22.5 (frame)
original, includes certificate of authenticity from ArtTrust
The image titled “Proposal for the Future” is a mixed-media artwork, combining watercolor sketches, handwritten notes, and diagrammatic illustrations. It appears to be a conceptual map or brainstorming sheet that explores ideas related to discovery, traces, landscapes, and human intervention in nature. Various elements, including sketches of tracks, terrain, and icebergs, are annotated with musings and conceptual associations, revealing an exploration of thought processes and creative reflections.
In Zen, the path is often considered more important than the destination. This artwork, with its scattered thoughts and drawings, reflects the idea of following one’s natural flow or “Way” (Dao). The imagery of tracks and pathways invites contemplation on the traces we leave behind and the journey itself. The floating icebergs and connections between them suggest the impermanence and fluidity of life, where change is inevitable and one’s journey is always in flux.
The I Ching, or “Book of Changes,” emphasizes the balance of opposites and the cyclical nature of existence. The reference to tracks, water, and icebergs in this piece can be linked to the Hexagram “Kan” (water), which speaks to navigating through difficult situations with inner calm. The multiple sketches and annotations might symbolize different “divinations” or paths one can take, each with its own consequences and wisdom to offer.
The piece brings together various conceptual elements, suggesting a search for meaning through exploration. The handwritten notes are reminiscent of philosophical musings, while the illustrations provide visual metaphors for different life experiences. Themes of seeking, mapping, and adapting to the unknown weave together to create a sense of ongoing discovery and personal growth. The work resonates with the idea that understanding and insight often come from the process of inquiry rather than arriving at a fixed conclusion.
This artwork shows characteristics of conceptual art and visual poetry, where text and image combine to convey a complex set of ideas. It shares similarities with the works of artists like Cy Twombly, who used scrawled text and spontaneous mark-making to evoke a sense of emotional and intellectual dialogue. The mixed-media approach also recalls the notebooks and sketchbooks of early explorers or artists who documented their thoughts in real time, blurring the line between art and scientific observation. The work serves as a snapshot of a mental process, rather than a completed statement, allowing the viewer to engage with the artist’s exploratory mindset.
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The artist’s thoughts to events are recorded to paper at his Sul Ross studio in Houston.
“Proposal For The Future” was featured in his Yes Retrospective
Reproductions of this drawing are available in multiple sizes!
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This artwork is available with a non-fungible token to ensure traceability and transparency of provenance.
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