November 24, 2019

 

Robert Sestok, front-runner of the Cass Corridor art movement, is perhaps most well-known for his sculpture work, which can be found scattered in any number of locations throughout the city of Detroit. The sculptures are often intricate pillars of metal geometric forms, which seem to scramble across one another to reach the top. Sestok studied at the College for Creative Studies from 1965-69, and later at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1970. 

In some instances, Sestok translated this style into two-dimensions, as seen in Black and Yellow Grid Drawing. Although there is an air of mid-century modern in the pattern of triangles and trapezoids, Sestok’s painting is far less polished and precise. The lines are neither crisp, nor totally straight. Instead, the brushstrokes which create the heavy black shapes are clearly visible and often are not totally flush at their tale-ends. The pattern itself is by no means consistent, upon closer investigation. In fact, the lower half of the painting seems to dissolve into randomness. Despite the use of jarring yellow, this rough treatment is in keeping with the established grit of the Cass Corridor movement. According to Sestok, he aimed for his paintings to hold the viewer’s interest for “some mysterious reason.” Sestok is successful here, but perhaps his reason is not so mysterious; with the innumerable subtle shifts in pattern, Sestok’s painting is visually engaging any number of times one looks at it. 

Written by Samantha Hohmann  

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