To stående modeller 1914 - 1915

Karl Isakson made this drawing of two standing models, with pencil on paper. What strikes me about this image is the tentative, searching quality of the lines. You can almost feel Isakson feeling his way around the forms, trying to capture the essence of the figures with a few deft strokes. It’s all about the process; a kind of philosophical, playful approach. The texture of the paper is a huge part of this work. The pencil marks sit on the surface, creating a sense of immediacy and intimacy. It's like we're looking over the artist's shoulder as he works. Notice the zig-zag of lines describing the buttock of the figure on the left, this mark activates the whole drawing. There’s a freedom to the line work, and the ambiguity of the forms encourages us to project our own interpretations onto the image. Isakson reminds me of other artists such as Paula Modersohn-Becker, another artist of the period who embraced simplicity and directness. Art is an ongoing conversation, embracing ambiguity and multiple interpretations.