Gnu 2018

Thiago Boecan made this piece called ‘Gnu’ with ink on paper. It's a study in controlled spontaneity. Look closely, and you can see how the ink behaves on the page. Some areas are dense and opaque, while others are translucent washes. The artist has worked wet-on-wet, allowing the ink to bleed and spread, creating soft edges. This kind of application requires a deep understanding of the medium, predicting how the pigment will interact with the fibers of the paper, how the ink bleeds or is repelled. Think about the traditions that Boecan is working with here. Ink wash painting is prominent across East Asia, but has also been influential in the West. The fluidity of the medium lends itself to capturing the essence of a subject, rather than a literal representation. In this piece, we can see how the artist is pushing the boundaries of traditional techniques, creating a dynamic and expressive image from simple materials. The use of ink and paper underscores how vital the act of making is to understanding a work of art.