Head of a Girl 1905 - 1910

Ľudovít Čordák made this tender head of a girl, probably using pastel or charcoal. I can feel the artist gently coaxing the image into being, not forcing it, but allowing the form to emerge from a ground of soft marks. I bet Čordák stood before his subject, charcoal in hand, and felt the weight of capturing a likeness, a presence. The girl’s eyes are closed, her expression serene. Her gaze is turned inwards, as if the artist has captured her in a private moment of reflection. The whole picture is muted, like a faded photograph. He’s managed to distill the essence of his sitter. The blurry line reminds me that pictures are never really finished, they are only abandoned. Just like life, right? There is an openness to the way Čordák has worked; he’s not trying to nail things down. Ultimately, art is just a conversation, an ongoing exploration between artists, across time, each adding their own voice to the mix.