Hoofden van Ghanezen c. 1916 - 1945

Reijer Stolk made these sketches of Ghanaian heads, probably in the early 20th century with a simple pencil on paper. The quick, almost child-like lines that shape these faces remind us that drawing is first and foremost about seeing and recording. Look at the face in profile at the top right; Stolk captures the angle of the nose and the curve of the mouth with a few, confident strokes. It's as if he's trying to quickly understand something essential about these individuals. What I find compelling is the openness of the marks. There is no attempt to hide the process. Each line feels like a direct response to the artist's perception, a kind of visual thinking in real time. It makes me think of other artists who embrace the raw, unfiltered quality of the sketch, like Cy Twombly, but really, all drawing is part of an ongoing conversation. Ultimately, this piece invites us to embrace the beauty of the unfinished, and to find value in the simple act of looking and recording.