Barn Interior c. 1932

Wanda Gág made this drawing of a barn interior, probably in the 1920s or 30s, using black ink on white paper. The thing about ink drawings is the permanence of the mark – there’s not a lot of room for error. But look at the confidence of the lines here! I imagine Gág standing in the barn, quickly sketching the objects around her. She’s not trying to be realistic, but instead exaggerating the shapes, like the dark shadows and curving forms. There’s a pot with handles that almost look like arms, and the barn beams seem to dance. I feel like I’m looking into her mind, seeing how she sees the world – full of humor and lively forms. It makes you think about how the world around us can be full of hidden personalities. Gág helps us find them.