Jam Session c. 1935 - 1943

Alex Monastersky made this drawing, 'Jam Session', using graphite on paper, and it's all about the feel of the music, right? Monastersky's approach is really interesting. He builds up the image with all these tiny, scratchy marks. Look at the way the shadows define the musicians’ faces, or the folds in their clothes. It's like he's mapping out the sound, translating the vibrations into visual form. The texture is so tactile. The light is amazing here, right? It creates a real sense of atmosphere, like you’re in a smoky club. I love how he renders the different surfaces. The shine on the shoes, the soft fabric of the shirts – all done with the same humble material, pencil. This reminds me of the drawings of Marsden Hartley, in the way it uses simple materials to capture complex emotions and a sense of lived experience. It reminds us that art is a conversation across time, embracing different interpretations.