Subway Drawing 1982

William Anastasi made this drawing on the subway, with graphite on paper, back in '82. Imagine the train rattling, the artist holding the paper, not looking, just feeling the movement. There are these clusters of scribbled marks, like nervous energy made visible. Lines dance and overlap, creating a kind of controlled chaos. You can almost feel the rhythm of the train, the bumps and starts and stops translated into these marks. Was he thinking about automatic drawing, or just letting the ride dictate the image? It's not trying to be beautiful, but there is a stark honesty to it. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s scribbles, but with a New York edge. It's like a visual diary entry, capturing a moment in time and space. I wonder what the other passengers thought he was doing? It's a reminder that art can come from anywhere, even a crowded subway car. Art is everywhere!