Gadearbejdere 1920 - 1924

Gudrun Traustedt made this drawing, ‘Gadearbejdere’, with brown ink on paper. It’s all about mark-making and the kind of freedom you get from a simple palette. The marks here are sparse and economical, but they really sing. They remind me that artmaking is a process that allows for a dialogue between intention and accident. I love the way the blank space around the figures lets my mind fill in the gaps. It’s as if Traustedt sketched just enough to set the stage. Look at the axe, the way it’s almost a bird in flight, pure gesture. It makes me think of other artists who use line so effectively like Matisse or Giacometti, and how a simple gesture can be so suggestive. Ultimately, it's about embracing the multiple possibilities inherent in a work of art, inviting viewers to bring their own experiences to the table.