Seine 1932

Cyprián Majerník made this drawing of the Seine river with graphite on paper, and you can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page. The lines are quick and searching, like he's trying to capture a fleeting impression. I love how the heavy, dark strokes above the bridge create a sense of depth and drama. The way the graphite is layered, it's almost sculptural, like the artist is building up the image with his marks. It makes me think about the physical act of drawing, the pressure of the pencil on the paper, and how that translates into an emotional experience. Notice the way he has quickly rendered figures in the bottom right hand corner with just a few lines, it gives the image a great sense of spontaneity. Majerník reminds me a little of Oskar Kokoschka, in the sense that both artists had this restless, searching quality in their work. The work isn't overworked, it is allowed to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations.