Agnes by Jane Bruckner

This is a set of songs inspired by and dedicated to the abstract painter Agnes Martin.


These songs are minimal and repetitive; a simple phrase repeats over and over. I wanted to reach a similar kind of simplicity to Martin’s grid paintings. Free of ego.

I remember seeing one of Martin's paintings in a museum when I was younger. When you looked closely there were all these imperfections. Like you could see her pulse vibrating through her hand into the line.

Likewise, in these songs, I left all human error in. Due to the inaccuracy in my playing and in the instrument, each repetition is slightly different than the one that came before. As Martin said, “And you think, I’m going to work and work, and I’m not going to have any failures, right? But then you find out that … you can’t even draw a straight line.”

Each song carries the same basic format. It would be fair to think of these as 5 variations of the same song. Or as 5 movements in the same song. A continuous inspiration that doesn’t end.


Above all else, I wanted these songs to reflect a deep and pervasive love.


The song titles are all quotes taken from Martin’s interviews and writings.

The cover photo is an Agnes Martin style image I made. A grid over clouds. Martin said about clouds, "I paid close attention for a month to see if they ever repeated. They don’t repeat.”

All sounds for this album were made with my elementary school recorder. It has been sitting in a basement for a few decades, patiently waiting...

Proceeds go to The Ocean Conservancy.


That’s about it.


I’ll leave you with my favorite Agnes Martin quote:

“Now I do not owe anything or have to do anything. Do not think that that is sad. It is not sad. Even sadness is not sad.”

Cloud-fall over Halifax...

...the pulse of all runs through...

...And the Earth moved beneath us...

And we were moved.