Untitled 1964

This ink drawing was made by Afro and like much of his work, it sits between figuration and pure abstraction. Afro was really interested in the process of artmaking, and you can see that here in the confident, fluid brushstrokes. The ink is dense and opaque, pooling in some areas and feathering out in others. The texture is smooth, but you can still sense the grain of the paper beneath the ink. It’s very physical. Notice that decisive stroke on the upper left that seems to define a lying figure, it contrasts with the geometric shapes in the upper centre that seem to be supporting something. The whole thing balances on a tripod base in the lower centre. Afro was inspired by the Italian futurists. It’s interesting to think of him in dialogue with someone like Boccioni, but through the lens of Abstract Expressionism.