Drawing for ‘Children’s Swimming Pool’ 1971

Editor: This is Leon Kossoff's "Drawing for 'Children's Swimming Pool.'" I'm struck by the energetic, almost frantic quality of the lines. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Note how Kossoff uses the density and direction of the charcoal lines to construct form and spatial relationships. Do you observe how certain areas are heavily worked, creating a sense of depth, while others remain open and gestural? Editor: Yes, it’s almost like a chaotic dance of figures emerging from the page. Is there a particular structural element at play here? Curator: Consider the repetition of the linework and the way the artist uses the varying pressure of the charcoal to suggest the bustling activity of the swimming pool. It’s a study of movement and form, rather than precise representation. Editor: That's insightful. It shifts my perspective from simply seeing a chaotic scene to appreciating the underlying structure. Curator: Precisely. Formal analysis allows us to see beyond the subject matter and engage with the artist's technical and compositional choices.