Twee jongens in een slaapruimte met stapelbedden before 1953

Hans Borrebach created this pen and ink drawing, “Two Boys in a Sleeping Area with Bunk Beds”, on paper. I wonder how Borrebach decided what to leave out? The blue and white stripes are pretty insistent; they vibrate against the bare paper. But there are just hints of blue wash to imply shadow. It’s like he’s giving us a stage set, a scene, and we can fill in the narrative. I feel for the artist when I see a drawing like this. I imagine the concentration it must have taken, moving the pen with purpose and precision, but also embracing the risk of the line. Does it always go where you think it will? And these boys—caught in a moment of casual intimacy, or something more? I like how the artist leaves things open for the viewer. It reminds me that art is not just about what is seen but what is imagined. We are all in conversation with each other, riffing on the same old themes.