Anne in Shawl and Dark Glasses 1979

Avigdor Arikha made this drawing, Anne in Shawl and Dark Glasses, using ink to describe a figure. The immediacy of the ink line really pulls you in, doesn’t it? It's like he's thinking through the image right in front of you. I’m drawn to the way the dark ink pools and puddles in the folds of the shawl, creating these wonderfully dense shadows that give the whole thing a sculptural feel. The lines are quick and confident, but they also have this vulnerability, this sense of searching. I love the frenetic, almost scribbled marks around the lower portion of the shawl that give way to defined, more careful strokes that describe the hands. The hands are so delicate. It feels like he’s channeling something, trying to capture a fleeting moment. The energy reminds me of a Cy Twombly drawing, all nervous energy and raw emotion. You can feel the artist’s hand in every mark, every decision. It's that kind of honesty that makes art so exciting, so alive.