Silver Sugar Bowl c. 1938

Lawrence Flynn made this Silver Sugar Bowl with ink on paper. It's a technical drawing of an object with different views and details laid out like a map of its construction. Look at the way Flynn has rendered the curves and flourishes of the sugar bowl. The lines are precise but still have a bit of give, a hand-drawn quality that keeps it from feeling too stiff. It’s not trying to trick you into thinking it *is* a silver sugar bowl, but somehow the simplicity of the lines creates a sense of volume, almost a glow. It reminds me of drawings by Agnes Martin - even though the subject matter is very different, there's a similar quality of meditative repetition. The marks accumulate to make something that feels both intentional and open, like a container waiting to be filled. This piece invites you to slow down and imagine the possibilities.