Cut Out Series

1970-1971

The flexible resin Cut Out series came about as an offshoot of Davis’s earlier resin works of the 1960s. Rather than building molds on the surface of a Formica work table to hold the shape of a painting, he applied pigmented resin directly onto the Formica as usual, within the limits of the design but without molds or dams. When the thinner layer of resin had hardened, and layers of fiberglass mat had been applied, it was pulled off the table, revealing its face for the first time. Using large tin-snips or a small saw, Davis then “cut out” the final painting shape, sanded the edges, and applied Velcro fasteners to the back and to the installation wall.

Read the 1971 ArtForum review of the Cutout Series by John Elderfield

The flexible resin Cut Out series came about as an offshoot of Davis’s earlier resin works of the 1960s. Rather than building molds on the surface of a Formica work table to hold the shape of a painting, he applied pigmented resin directly onto the Formica as usual, within the limits of the design but without molds or dams. When the thinner layer of resin had hardened, and layers of fiberglass mat had been applied, it was pulled off the table, revealing its face for the first time. Using large tin-snips or a small saw, Davis then “cut out” the final painting shape, sanded the edges, and applied Velcro fasteners to the back and to the installation wall.

Read the 1971 ArtForum review of the Cutout Series by John Elderfield