Studio Per L'intervallizzazione Del Fegato Etrusco 1988

Douglas Abdell made this drawing, Studio Per L'intervallizzazione Del Fegato Etrusco, which translates to “Studio for the Intervalization of the Etruscan Liver,” using ink on paper. Immediately, I’m drawn to the way Abdell mixes the diagrammatic with the intuitive. It’s like a mind map, but one that’s charting unknown territories. Look at the density of marks! The pressure applied to the pen is consistent, but the lines themselves vary from confident strokes to tentative scratches. This reminds me of Cy Twombly, but with a more archaeological bent. Abdell’s marks create forms that feel both ancient and futuristic. The central image, with its segmented structure and cryptic inscriptions, resembles a dissected organ or a circuit board. What I appreciate most is that Abdell doesn’t seem to be aiming for clarity. Instead, he embraces the messy, complex nature of thought itself. He seems to suggest that meaning isn't fixed, but rather something that emerges through the act of exploration. The overall effect is less about understanding and more about sparking curiosity. Art as conversation, not conclusion.