Ronghong Dai

As Pointless as a Yardstick: Barnett Newman’s Imaginary Space within Philosophies in Geometry

Barnett Newman, one of the most intellectual artists in the Abstract Expressionist’s circle, was most famous for his “zip” paintings. This paper builds upon an observation that has received limited attention when interpreting Newman’s philosophy and practice: his understanding of geometry. Linda Henderson’s canonical book The Fourth Dimension and Non-Euclidean Geometry in Modern Art (1983) considers the interaction between geometry and art during the twentieth century, and argues that artists transformed mathematical theory into works of art in an orderly and traceable manner. Here, I offer an analysis of Barnett Newman’s early artworks and writings to challenge Henderson’s characterization of Abstract Expressionism as the very antithesis of geometry, and argue that developments in geometry and its philosophy fueled his vision and are visible in his art. When Newman seemingly opposed geometry by claiming to be “free from any kind of geometry principles”, he was not denying the admission of geometrical form, but placing the stress on his use of it as individualized symbolic content. His works and artistic thinking demonstrate that, although he was an anti-formalist, he did not reject geometry outright.