Camels 1969

Here we have Nancy Graves's Camels, and I am immediately imagining the handwork involved. It’s like a painter building up layers, but instead of brushstrokes, there’s this additive, almost sculptural process of building form. I can feel the artist’s hand, the way she coaxes volume and mass into being, the surfaces built of textured marks, like little breaths of material accumulating to create the whole thing. I’m drawn to the surfaces, the way they catch the light, making you want to reach out and touch them, to trace the contours of each camel’s form. The colours, too, earthy and subdued, remind me of the desert landscapes where camels roam. But Graves isn't trying to trick you, they're present and self-contained, like the figures in a Morandi painting. This piece feels like it's in conversation with so many other artists like Giacometti. It’s like everyone is sharing ideas across time, pushing each other to see the world in new ways.