Butterfly 1980

Piroska Szanto made this chalk drawing, called Butterfly, sometime during her lifetime. You can see how the chalky texture gives the whole image a hazy, dreamy feel. The bold black background makes the white of the butterfly really pop. Notice how the artist used individual strokes of white chalk to build up the form. It's almost like she’s sketching with light. I love the way the pink lines add a touch of whimsy, like the butterfly is leaving a trail of color as it flutters by. There’s a raw, immediate quality to the mark-making here, as if the artist was capturing a fleeting moment. It reminds me a little of Joan Miró's playful, spontaneous approach. It’s that thing of trying to grab a feeling, rather than just representing what you see. Art that feels like it's still in process, still alive.