Forking Paths

Robert Smithson
1971
Graphite on paper
19 x 24 in. (48.3 x 70 cm)

White lines emerge from a graphite background, branching off at different angles from the center of the page. Smithson was drawn to the concept of decentralization, both in art and in dialectics. He sought to challenge the traditional delineation between center and periphery, often placing more emphasis on the outskirts. In this drawing, our attention is directed to the fracturing paths that continue indefinitely beyond the bounds of the page. Centrality in art—and in religion—brings a sense of comfort and wholeness that Smithson sought to upend.

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