Untitled, Manhattan c. 1925

This drawing, Untitled, Manhattan, was made by John Marin using graphite on paper. Look at how the lines tremble and vibrate. It’s almost as if Marin wasn’t just drawing a building, but also trying to capture the energy, the buzz, of the city itself. The whole thing is built from these quick, light marks, like he’s trying to pin down something that’s constantly moving, constantly changing. There’s a real sense of immediacy, you can almost see the artist standing there, sketching away, trying to keep up with the chaos. Notice the dark, almost aggressive strokes slashing down the right side of the page. They create a sense of depth. It’s like the whole city is pushing in on you, a little overwhelming, but also kind of thrilling. Marin’s work reminds me of someone like de Kooning, who also tried to capture the feeling of being alive in a messy, complicated world. There’s no right or wrong way to see it, it’s all about letting the drawing take you somewhere.