Pornographic Drawing 1996

Cornelia Parker made this intriguing drawing, titled "Pornographic Drawing", with ink, and it immediately brings Rorschach tests to mind. It's all about the process, this simple folding of paper, spilling ink, and seeing what happens. The magic of this piece lies in the ink itself – the way it bleeds and pools, creating these ambiguous forms. There is a vertical spine of ink with these cloud-like shapes below. Look at the density in the lower forms, how the ink pools to make these tiny pockets, which looks like it has a life of its own. It reminds me a little of Helen Frankenthaler's soak-stain technique, but with a decidedly cheeky twist. Parker, like many artists, plays with the idea of found imagery and chance encounters. It's a dialogue that stretches back through art history. She makes us question how we see, and what we bring to the act of looking. It’s a reminder that art, like life, is full of unexpected surprises.