Audiencja 2019

Lech Jankowski made this drawing, Audiencja, with what looks like white chalk or pastel on black paper. See how the figure emerges out of the darkness, like a memory or a dream. The texture is soft and powdery, with lots of little strokes building up the form. It’s interesting, this attention to surface; it feels almost sculptural. I’m drawn to the way the skirt is rendered: a flurry of vertical lines, suggesting movement and volume but also a kind of fragility. The open drawers where the chest should be, could be seen as a metaphor for vulnerability and the exposure of inner thoughts. You can see a connection to artists like Kiki Smith, who also use the body to explore ideas about identity and the human condition. Ultimately, it's the feeling of openness, both in form and content, that stays with me. It’s as though the drawing is inviting us to bring our own stories and interpretations to it.