Cross Bearers 1964

Benny Andrews made this drawing, called 'Cross Bearers', with what looks like pencil on paper. It's all lines, raw and direct, like a map of a thought process. Look at the figure on the right, standing there in overalls. His hands are clasped in front of him, the fingers drawn with such care. Each digit has a rounded quality that makes me think of Phillip Guston's paintings, especially the feet, solid and cartoonish. The marks are so minimal, so delicately placed, yet they carry so much weight, both in terms of form and content. What's so cool about drawing, or any art really, is its openness. Nothing is set in stone, or pencil here, take what you need and leave the rest.