Butterfly 1980

Piroska Szanto made this drawing of a butterfly wing with what looks like wax crayon on paper. I can imagine her in the studio, the black paper laid flat, perhaps turning it as she builds up the image, the white crayon scratching and crumbling, giving the wing its fragile presence. There's a freedom in the line, but also a searching quality as she defines the shape, letting it emerge slowly, intuitively. Those pink, energetic antennae, or are they just abstract lines that suggest movement and sensitivity? I love how the dark background makes the white pop, creating a contrast that’s both stark and delicate. Szanto isn’t trying to be perfectly realistic; instead, it’s more like she’s feeling her way through the essence of butterfly-ness. I think, like so many artists, Szanto teaches me that painting is really about feeling, searching, and finding new ways to see.