"from music people expect pure emotion but from art they demand explanation"

I remember being a student and sitting in front of a Agnes Martin painting at the Modern Art Museum of Vancouver, I stared at that painting for almost 30 minutes and started crying. I don't know what made me cry, I had never cried because of a painting before. After, months later, I would understand that the tears had been in my mind all that time, and her painting released them.

I saw her work at the guggenheim in 2016, and let me tell you it was amazing. I have never entered a gallery and felt so calm. I see lots of comments saying that it is "boring" work- but seeing it in real life is anything but. I had to sit down multiple times because looking at the small grids would disorient you- a feeling close to hearing a lullaby.

I love this quotes. ‘’From music people accept pure emotion, but from art they demand explanation’’. ‘’..the beauty is not in the rose,the beauty is in your mind’’. The background music perfectly fits with the video. Feel so calm

I admire her dedication to Art. Agnes said she painted for 20 years before she began creating art she really liked. Then, painting became a joy for her everyday.

"The beauty is not in the rose, the beauty is in your mind".

What an artist - her incredible book just arrived on my doorstep yesterday and is now on my coffee table. I can't believe I only recently discovered her. I've been blessed by Agnes.

This is the first time I've learned of Agnes Martin. Thankyou for this short film. Her work and intentions are so pure. I'm going to learn more about her.

I discovered Agnes Martin's work about a week after her death, on a Christmas visit to Santa Fe. A museum there had included some of her paintings in an exhibit on women painters and spirituality. I remember the docent telling us how sad they all were because of her recent death in Taos. Her paintings brought me to tears also.

I was at a Mondrian exhibition in Basel at the Fondation Beyeler and that's where I discovered Agnes Martin purely by accident. The Fondation had 2 works of her on exhibit from their permanent collection. I remember that after my ride through Broadway Boogie Woogie, I just passed by the two Martin paintings giving them just a faint glance. The moment I turned my head away from the paintings I felt a "hm, what was that?" feeling and returned my attention to the two paintings. Then I just stood there for probably 15 - 20 minutes getting lost in them, a broad smile appearing on my face and a feeling of deep, peaceful joy overcoming me. It was/remains a very special experience.

I came across Agnes Martin when I was studying Art History at university, I haven’t been able to get her or Brancusi out out my head since.

i like her paintings, but it somehow surprises me how one can see the human mind/emotions as so neat and geometrical. i would never think that perfectly straight lines would represent my inner states

I don't know why but it broke my heart watching this.

Ten or twelve years ago my wonderful friend, Will K. Wilkins, took my on a trip from Hartford Connecticut across the early spring landscape to Beacon, that small town on the majestic Hudson that is home to DIA. We travelled through eastern CN. to Western NY. while the snows of winter were slowly saying goodbye, their farewells taking longer the higher we got as our comfortable car (old?) ambled along the grey white cuttings that marked our journey's course. We arrived in the place where the ghosts of breakfast families linger. What a building, low and spacious, demanding a lateral view, a perfect corrective to the verticality of that Island at the mouth of mother Hudson. We walked around, I marveling at the space and the art, then all of a sudden the most whispered impact I have ever encountered, the canvases of Agnes. Yes I will use the familiar, Agnes, the divine, Agnes the perfect, Agnes the seer of the world. I was aghast, I turned to Will as I later (on other visits) turned to Amy, Turned to Isabel...."This is painting, this is the world, no not abstraction but the rendition of of the horizon of our perception of this world"...I visit DIA Beacon every year now, the perfect poetry in the prose of my travels, and now she is here...Six years ago my friends, the Prosers, gave me a kitten, a 'Rag Doll' kitten, her colouring was like the colouring of those roads between Hartford and Beacon in the nervous springtime, the white of the snow giving way to emergent vegetation, she reminded me of those canvases, subtle, beautiful, tactile...I called her Agnes.

Every time I feel lost or desolate hearing Martin speak brings me great comfort. The greatest artist of the 20th century in my opinion.

I come back to this clip every once in a while and it never gets old. I think of the rose story all the time.

Does she have academic background? I love her art. That "neat", "sleek", "clean style" to me is like I can not go beyond this, this is the borderline to where art can go. I won't do it simpler, 'cause by saying this I've said it all. Love this stuff that sweetens my mind every time I "see it", every time I feel it. Thanks Agnes.

This was one of the most beautiful documentary videos that I had ever seen, heard, and felt...

I have only just heard of Agnes Martin through a podcast. I was curious to see her work and learn about her. As I watched this video I was moved to tears, filled with beautiful emotion. Thank you so much for this beautiful film. I will be learning more about her and her work. Inspiring!

Thank you for this deeply moving Tate Shot of Agnes Martin.

This gives me the chills.

Even though the pieces created are viewed as "simple" pieces of art, they are actually pretty unique. You can definitely feel the emotions coming from each piece because of shape placements and color.

Too beauty. I've never seen her being interviewed. I love her since first time a Brazilian art critic related her to my abstract zen suisse Brazilian master mira schendel. Thanks very much for this post.

"I wanted really abstract without any cause in this world" I took 20 years.. What a great journey, the art way..

This is the artstyle I’ve had in mind. My whole life, I thought I just was terrible and would never be able to call myself a painter. Thank you for opening doors for me, and people just like me.

Just learned about this artist and sought out more info. Her work brings a relieved peace to my heart. Thank you for this video.

I met her in 1973 at ICA in Phila. She had great presence like Gertrude Stein. Beautiful painter.

This video reminds me of someone very special to me... Thank you

These short quotes by her really do give me gooseskin. I love it, thank you!

Someone recently told me that my work reminds them of Agnes Martin. I didn't know who she was. I'm so glad I found her work, and more importantly her mind or her vision. So many good quotes in the video. To be clear, my work doesn't really look like hers, but I do understand the comparison.

Well done, thank you. Those who want to see more of Agnes Martin might also want to check out a new prize-winning documentary about her ("Agnes Martin: Between the Lines"), trailer available here on KZfaq

Just discovered this video. Just discovered Agnes Martin. Thank you.

Hey! I've seen 'The Tree' in-person. It's quietly fascinating. Loved it.

Background music is a little loud it's quite hard to work out what is being said at times.

So yeah... I was going to quit this video, but then I read all the comments and I was like ... well I am going to give it a try and I am glad I did. This video does not make justice to the paintings because all the details are so subtle and genuine. Thanks Agnes because you just changed my perspective of beauty. Much love from MX

Thank you for this film

These tears in my eyes,..they,...they feel so nice. Sincerely, Rothko(looking at L'Atelier Rouge) P.s. They say it takes one to know ONE

I'm no fan of abstract art, but Martin makes me pause and I love her long view perspective. Most of us are balls of wax, easily manipulated...not her

Martin's "Night bird" is wonderful.

I just really want to hug her rn :'( sad I can't

Wonderful episode. 😃

So beautiful. The world needs more art

Yes the painting is a key to the art within you - to a deep feeling

what a beautiful soul

Fantastic; really appreciate this video giving a look into this highly refined artist. Thank you!

Happy Birthday, Agnes!

I love this video for helping me to understand more about her painting. Seeing these paintings in person, like I was fortunate to do at the Guggenheim, you can get the full expression of their subtle line work than can be expressed in a video or photograph.

what a beautiful piece of film, feeling blessed to be able to see this

sometimes cant hear whats being said because of the music

Grand merci pour le sous-titre en français.... Rare dans les documentaires sur l'art

Beautiful and touching. Thank you for this! Music was chosen perfectly as well.

Amazing.

Incredible story

I was in Seattle visiting my bro and we went to the Seattle art museum. one Agnes Martin painting hung from the wall and I felt it....that museum is huge, 3 stories I think and after we had walked the space I said, 'that Agnes piece is my favorite.' my brother quipped, 'of all the work in there, you picked out the worst one.' you should have seen the one he picked. polar opposites.

Great fabric designs!

so awesome

i feel like art isn’t an explanation but it is a story, i saw her paintings in a gallery once and thought they were boring, another abstract blank looking canvas, but the story of her doing it makes it amazing

Amazing short video

I do like Rothko for all of my life. Agnes Martin touches me the same way...but softer even. ☀

I wish I could see the world like she does

THE KING IS NAKED!

Quite beautiful. Shocked at some of the philistinism here, incidentally.

Does anyone know who did the music? It great!

The grid , editing,mantra and the experience amazing

So simple and elegant backgrounds that could have drawings on them.

That's Minimal Art,wonderful 😮

Love this

3:30 excellent sound mixing

Sublime.

wow super helpful perspective

It looks like beauty has to be in your mind with art like this!

Beautiful work. Subtle tones and careful composition.

Why in the world is the music so loud?? I have troube hearing the people speak... !!!!

Wowwww​ incredible feel good..!! so pure innocent this enough for me I am Thai.

I completely align with the notion of creating or responding with pure emotion without explanation. Being asked to explain what I'm creating always sparks intense annoyance in me - for reason that art is not a verbal communication - it demands looking with the eyes and responding from the heart. I would love to see this work first hand.

What is the musical soundtrack accompanying Martin's visual art? Non intrusive and yet complimentary. Love to know. Thanks for a lovely, contemplative little piece of film Tate.

wonderful

Thanks it’s great and very true honest professional painter 🌟🌟🌟🙏

I’ve never heard of this artist before watching this video clip. At this point in my life, it may be one of the most impactful 7:37 of artistic thought that I’ve experienced. Thank you for posting it.

That indeed a beauty

Thank you for this. It was fascinating to see the painter at work, and yes, 'restrained' perfectly describes her paintings. The perfect antidote (if one is needed) to the more strident, sometimes shrieking quality of Abstract Expressionism.

Wow

How would the experience be if the background wall was black?

I'm not much of an abstract art fan but I love her work. It's heavenly

Where can I find the music from this short documentary?

Very interesting

the background music was way too loud-it pretty much overwhelmed the rest of the video.

Congratulations

I love the rose story so much its a plus the little girl Isabel has my name

I believe seeing her work only in a video does not do it justice. I had an opportunity to see a group of her work at SFMOMA. from this video I can appreciate more of the physical labor and preparation that went into a painting. also from learning of her living in Taos, it makes sense, the stillness that some of her work evokes. the works I saw, mostly structured grid paintings, were like giant spiritual poems. I was always curious to know more about Martin.

The music was too loud in parts, very interesting artist.

Is it a music video?

Love Aggie

Theses background music is so loud that i can't hear the speker clearly :(

Shame that the music overwhelms the commentary in places

A mantra ..... Yes

I must take umbrage at any attempt to describe pictorial art or sculpture but yes they are stripes and grids with pale colors

The rose is not just in the mind.

Her art is something that needs to be experienced in person. Video or photos don’t do it justice. If you have the opportunity, go.

💕