Even though she identified her own work with abstract expressionism, for almost fifty years of her life Agnes Martin helped define minimalism. With a shared aesthetic for a geometric and modern language in design, it was only a matter of time until fashion brand COS, proponent of simplicity, would celebrate the American painter’s work. Inspired by the artist’s use of linen, colour and natural materials, a 12-piece capsule collection for both men and women emerged and is shown at the Guggenheim Museum’s major retrospective of Agnes Martin in New York through January 11th.
Being one of the few female artists to emerge from the masculine art movements of the late ‘50s and ‘60s made Agnes a symbol of feminism. “I paint with my back to the world” — she did not listen to critics, nor did she pay attention to negativity. Her art focuses on internal aspects of beauty, love and innocence. She did not really belong to an art community and was considered as more of an outsider artist, which makes her an interesting pioneer in art history.
Her canvases composed of grids and stripes have been a major inspiration behind previous COS collections. For this capsule collection especially, the design team used Agnes’s own style and the fact that her work often looks different depending on the viewing angle. It all results in a collection that reflects every aspect of her subtle and serene paintings.
Her canvases composed of grids and stripes have been a major inspiration behind previous COS collections. For this capsule collection especially, the design team used Agnes’s own style and the fact that her work often looks different depending on the viewing angle. It all results in a collection that reflects every aspect of her subtle and serene paintings.
The clothes are available in the Guggenheim gift shop and several stores worldwide as well as on cosstores.com.
