The city has always inspired, generated, and compromised creativity. While we are all in this moment of social-distancing and quarantine, it is a good opportunity to consider the ways in which previous generations of artists have responded to a retreat from the city in their art.

This talk focuses on the work and biographies of Agnes Martin (1912-2004) and Don Judd (1928-1994) as two distinct but related artistic responses to the city and to leaving the city. At the center of this talk will be a historical understanding of the relationship between the city and the desert and how this may have shaped the distinct forms of their art. More broadly, this talk focuses on two Modern artists whose work remains relevant to this day.