Dress 1935 - 1942

Bessie Forman made this drawing of a dress, we don’t know when, with what looks like watercolour on paper. What I love about this piece is its kind of diagrammatic approach. It feels like a technical drawing, but it’s also incredibly personal and evocative. Look at the way she’s rendered the fabric, especially the ruffles at the bottom. The layers of thin, washy paint create a sense of depth and movement. It’s almost like she’s trying to capture not just the look of the dress, but also how it feels to wear it, the way it might sway and flow. And then there are the tiny, almost invisible marks all over the fabric, like little flecks of light. The whole thing reminds me of Hilma af Klint's work, with its combination of scientific precision and spiritual yearning. It’s a reminder that art is always about more than just what we see on the surface, it's about the artist's process.