Untitled (Abstraction) 1962

This untitled abstraction was created by George Dergalis. It's like a dense thicket of lines, made with black ink on paper. You can almost feel Dergalis building up this image, line by line, a real meditation in mark-making. I can imagine him getting lost in the process, letting the pen lead the way. The texture is created through the repetition of fine lines, hatching and cross-hatching, which creates a vibrating surface. Look at the lower section, those marks look like arches, or windows maybe. They lead the eye upwards towards more chaotic, looser forms that are like the tops of trees. For me, this kind of work is about getting into the flow, embracing the accidental, and seeing where it takes you. It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly, in the way that it combines intention with a kind of beautiful messiness. It’s about process, and finding form through repetition. It’s a testament to the power of simple materials in the hands of someone who knows how to use them.