Idols c. 1930s

Carl Hoeckner created this drawing called ‘Idols’ with a pencil on paper. It’s all about mark-making; how the artist coaxes form from a mass of tiny, individual strokes. Look closely, and you can see how the hatching varies in density and direction to create shadow and volume, especially on the bodybuilder. The physical process is so evident. It’s as if Hoeckner is saying, “Look, this is how it’s done – line by line, decision by decision.” There’s a real push and pull, a back-and-forth between the idea and the doing. The rawness of the drawing reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz. Both artists share a similar interest in the human figure. Like Kollwitz, Hoeckner isn’t afraid to leave the evidence of his labour on the surface. The drawing feels unresolved, as if the artist is inviting us to complete it in our minds. And, isn’t that what art is all about – a conversation that never really ends?