A Cloud No Bigger Than a Man's Future 1955

Herbert Lawrence Block made this drawing, "A Cloud No Bigger Than a Man's Future," with graphite or charcoal—you can almost feel the dustiness of the medium, as if it could smudge if you touched it. I imagine Block with a stick of charcoal in hand, sketching, erasing, and refining the ominous form of that hand-shaped cloud looming over the city. Look at the lone figure standing on the hill. It looks like he’s staring up at it, wondering, maybe worried? I feel for him, standing there, trying to make sense of the unknown. The pressure of that hand in the sky is overwhelming, pointing right at him. The title itself, with its paradoxical suggestion of potential and threat, is interesting too. It makes me think about Goya's dark visions, and how artists have always grappled with uncertainty and anxiety. It’s all one big conversation through time. Ultimately, the artwork is about posing questions rather than providing answers, embracing ambiguity, and inviting us to reflect on our shared human condition.