Study for "Great America" (Under Water) c. 1994

Kerry James Marshall made this study for "Great America" (Under Water) on a simple sheet of paper with blue ink, and it looks like he was really figuring something out. I can almost see him drawing, stopping, thinking, and then drawing some more. I wonder what Marshall was contemplating when he made this sketch. I think about the relationship between the water's surface and what lurks beneath. The title says "ship from below water," and I can see how the rough lines create a sense of submersion and hidden depth. Those figures look like they are in some kind of watery, dangerous freefall. It reminds me of Goya or maybe Guston, these kinds of dreamscapes, but very different. I love his use of simple lines to evoke complex ideas of race, history, and identity. Each mark seems so direct and intentional, even in its sketchiness. Ultimately, Marshall makes me want to pick up a pen and start drawing, to see where the lines might lead me. It's like he's inviting us to join the conversation, one sketch at a time.