All alone in the Museum of Art 1979

Howard Hodgkin made "All Alone in the Museum of Art" with ink and graphite, and it feels like a deeply personal and observational piece. I love how the starkness of the black and white palette invites you into a space of solitude and reflection, like a quiet moment stolen in a museum. It’s almost as if Hodgkin is inviting us to see not just the art on the walls, but the architecture of the space, and the quietude within. I imagine him standing there, alone, contemplating a painting, just as we are now. Look at those hatch marks—each one laid down with intention, creating depth and texture. The build-up of layers feels like a process of revealing and concealing, suggesting that the act of seeing and understanding is always unfolding. It echoes the works of other artists who explore the poetics of space, like Agnes Martin, but with Hodgkin’s unique touch of gestural expression.