At the National Gallery 

Rick Hall made this illustration, 'At the National Gallery,' using pen and ink on paper. Its stark black lines and white space, achieved through a relatively quick, reproducible process, create a snapshot of a cultural institution filled with observers. The drawing style prioritizes efficiency, yet effectively captures the postures and interactions within the gallery, almost like a storyboard panel. Hall's lines delineate class distinctions, from the uniformed guard to the well-dressed patrons, each absorbed in their respective roles within the gallery's social ecosystem. The artist also includes a painter with an easel. The original artwork would have involved decisions of line weight, pressure, and layering, which were then translated into a static image through printing. By focusing on the labor of observation and display within the gallery, Hall’s illustration blurs the lines between the work on the walls, the work of viewing, and the work it takes to maintain that tradition.