Untitled 1957

Perle Fine made this untitled drawing on graph paper sometime in the middle of the last century with pencil or charcoal. You know, it’s really about the attitude of the line. The way the shapes build up from all these hesitant, tender marks. There's something so open about a work on paper. It’s the most direct way for an artist to capture an idea, like thinking out loud. Look at the way the smudges mix with the clear lines, and how some of them go over the grid, while others are mindful of it. It's like a conversation between freedom and structure. The black marks, dense and concentrated, act like anchors against the airy scribbles. This tension gives the piece its energy. For me, this piece speaks to the experimental spirit of the New York School. It reminds me a bit of the work of Philip Guston, especially the way he uses simple materials to explore complex ideas. Art’s all about responding to the world, but it’s also a conversation with other artists across time.