The Pack Bridge c. 1926

Editor: This is "The Pack Bridge," a drawing by Robert Austin from around 1926. The sketchiness makes it feel very immediate and almost dreamlike. What aspects of the composition strike you most? Curator: The dynamism created by the hatching and cross-hatching is quite striking. Note how Austin utilizes varying densities of line to define the architectural forms and to articulate depth, subtly pushing back the horizon line. Do you see how the architectural elements dominate the landscape, thus establishing a geometric spatial organization? Editor: I do. It almost feels like the bridge itself is more important than the land it crosses, which seems intentional. The buildings really box in the view, too. Curator: Indeed. Let's consider the materiality. Observe how the tonality of the paper supports the composition. The tan of the paper creates warmth; the linear composition of the architecture and the artist's hand, through gesture and sketch, work together to make a coherent whole. Would you agree? Editor: Absolutely. I'd say the sketchiness lends itself to the idea that this is less about a real place and more about an idea of one. Curator: Precisely. It is Austin working through an idea. In art, as in language, forms relate according to principles of organization which, in turn, convey meaning. The artist manipulates visual vocabulary as any language speaker would to deliver an original message. Editor: This makes me realize how much we can analyze even in what seems like a simple sketch. Thanks for pointing out so many things to consider. Curator: It has been a pleasure; now I see it in an enriched manner as well!