Shark 1990

Don Ivan Punchatz made this drawing of a shark, and the image seems built from tone, from light to dark. Look at how he coaxes the form out of the ground, the paper. The texture is smooth, almost airbrushed, a real contrast to all those jaggedy teeth. The color palette is limited, almost monochromatic, but that forces you to look at the gradations. I'm drawn to the way the shark's body twists, it’s a beautifully rendered shape. The whole shark pivots in space. It reminds me of some of Peter Saul’s early paintings, that use of a limited palette to emphasize form, and a twisted sense of humor. Art doesn't always have to be serious, sometimes it's just a playful exploration of form and tone. It’s like a conversation between artists, even across generations, and we get to listen in.