Strike 1936

Beatrice Mandelman's "Strike" is a drawing of ambiguous date, but its mark-making and subject point to the hand of a politically engaged artist. The pressure of the pencil on the page varies, with some areas rendered in tightly hatched marks while others are left relatively untouched. Take a look at the figure on horseback, receding into the background. See how the artist has used subtle variations in tone to suggest form and movement, while the figure with 'Strike' emblazoned on their back is described with heavier, more definite lines. The relatively unfiltered mark-making contributes to the emotional tone of the work, and suggests that the artist wasn't afraid to let the process show. The way the perspective is skewed reminds me of some of the urban landscapes of the German Expressionist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, who also made art about the conflict between the individual and the forces of authority. Like Kirchner, Mandelman's drawing reminds us that art can be a powerful form of social commentary, capable of capturing the complexities and contradictions of the world around us.