Boer met hond 1927

Leo Gestel made this monochromatic drawing, “Boer met hond” with pencil and charcoal sometime in his lifetime. Imagine the process of making this drawing: the artist capturing the scene with quick, assured strokes, trying to evoke a whole world through the quality of the lines and the texture of the charcoal. It's as though he's feeling his way through the landscape, constructing a site of inquiry for himself and for us. I can almost feel Gestel's hand moving across the paper, each gesture charged with intention and meaning. I love how the rough, unfinished quality of the drawing invites us to participate in the act of seeing. It’s like he’s in conversation with artists across time, picking up on ideas and adding his own unique spin. This drawing feels ambiguous and open-ended. I can keep looking at it again and again and discover new things each time. It is an invitation to slow down, look closely, and embrace the uncertain.