Graves’ black-ground paintings from the 1980s featured void-like backgrounds overlaid with brightly saturated brushstrokes. In these abstract compositions, she layered images drawn from archaeological artifacts—such as prehistoric cave markings, mythological busts, maps of burial sites—and technological advances, such as satellite imaging, NASA photography, and circuit boards diagrams.
In Converse, which has never before been exhibited, Graves incorporates visual sources from non-Western cultures alongside scientific and archaeological imagery. At the center, concentric pink forms represent the Arabic calligraphic symbol for “and,” a motif often found in illuminated manuscripts. Also in pink are outlines of wolves from the Magdalenian-era Altamira Caves in Spain. Green lines trace cloud formations observed in Florida, where Graves filmed Aves, a work focused on migratory birds. Green and brown lines and dots suggesting topograpohical recordings intersect with the other motifs on canvas.
These ancient and modern references coexist on a black, void-like background. While honoring past civilizations and art forms, the painting also suggests a temporal convergence, reflecting Graves’s longstanding interest in scientific inquiry, cultural histories, and systems of knowledge.
- Ratcliff, Carter, The Naturalist, Art & Antiques, Art & Antiques World Wide Media, LLC, New York, NY 2017, p. 72, illus.