Carved Wood Figure - "Flying Mercury" c. 1936

Ingrid Selmer-Larsen made this watercolour and pencil drawing of a carved wood figure, "Flying Mercury". The earthy palette and the way the figure emerges from the paper speaks to an understanding of artmaking as a process of discovery, of revealing what's already there. Look at the surface texture. The physical presence of the figure is undeniable, from the defined musculature of the leg to the smooth curve of the hip. Selmer-Larsen uses visible strokes to suggest the texture of the wood, inviting us to feel the weight and density of the sculpture. The lines follow the form, accentuating its curves and planes. The tiny domed building in the background, lightly sketched in pencil, creates a sense of scale. The figure looms large, monumental even. The work speaks to the ongoing conversation artists have with art history, to the dialogue and exchange of ideas.