Wrought Iron Gate c. 1936

Al Curry made this drawing of a wrought iron gate, at an unknown date, using ink on paper. It reminds me of an architectural plan, maybe for a building in New Orleans? The whole thing is made up of tiny, precise lines. Look closely at the stone archway; it’s all built up with these short, hatching marks. It’s not about being perfectly smooth, but about showing the labor, the *process* of building up this image, one mark at a time. The ironwork itself is so intricate, yet Curry doesn’t get lost in the details. Instead, you get a sense of the weight of the iron, the cool stone, and the overall feeling of a grand entrance. This image is a cousin to the work of M.C. Escher. They both play with depth and perspective, creating worlds that are both familiar and slightly… off. What's so great about art is how one thing can lead to another. It's always a conversation.