Lying down 2018

Thiago Boecan made this small artwork, Lying Down, with ink on paper. There is a lot of pressure in this print. It's so compact, like a concentrated thought. The figure is economical, and it reminds me of Matisse cut-outs, or maybe even cave paintings. The lines seem urgent, like the artist was trying to capture something fleeting. There's no room for error here. I wonder what it was like for Boecan to make this? To decide where to commit, where to let the white space breathe. Each line seems so deliberate, yet the overall effect is so loose. I love how the body almost blends into the background, like a memory fading away. It is a very interesting conversation between the figure and the ground, the positive and the negative. It makes me want to grab some ink and see what emerges!