The Torpedoed Sussex 1916

James McBey made this drawing, The Torpedoed Sussex, with ink on paper. The linear quality in this drawing reminds us that artmaking is fundamentally a process, one of constant doing and re-doing, adjusting, and refining. Look closely, and you can see how McBey constructs the scene, mark by mark. The frantic energy of the lines brings the scene to life; a sense of urgency and chaos permeates the composition. Note the marks clustered around the point of impact on the ship, the densest area of the drawing. These marks, like concentrated energy, explode outwards from the epicenter of the torpedo strike. McBey's approach reminds me a little of Kathe Kollwitz, particularly in her use of expressive lines to convey profound human suffering and resilience. Both artists, in their own way, remind us that art is not just about the finished product, but about the journey of creation itself.