Untitled 1 - Kristborg Whitney

Acrylic on panel,  10 x 10"

The size in which some of us work is often quite large—48 inches by 72 inches, 36 inches by 60, 40 by 40. Some rarely, if ever, even work in the square format. If the lens through which you see your subject matter is rectangular, square is a big challenge. If your movements crave to be large, the compressed vision of the 10 inch by 10 inch painting restricts every movement you make. It is like folding up on yourself when you are accustomed to dancing across an entire stage.

When Kristborg Whitney considered undertaking a 10-by-10 for her geometric paintings, which are filled with detail and intricate patterns of energy flowing and reversing, interconnecting, she was pretty sure it wouldn’t translate. But translate it did.

“I’m certain that without this imposed restriction,” she says, “I never would have tried to create my work in this small a size—and I’m happy I did.”

Size is the only restriction in the works that are being created for TEN; otherwise, the artists could do anything they wanted, work in whatever medium, make work they were known for or  move entirely outside their comfort zone.