Vajda Lajos Dragon 1939, Charcoal on Paper, 90x62.8cm 1939

Vajda Lajos made this Dragon with charcoal on paper in 1939, and it looks like he was really thinking about how to make a mark. There's something really raw about the marks here, that charcoal on paper just gets right. You know, it's not trying to be anything else, just charcoal doing its thing. Look at the hatching on the dragon's body, the way it builds up the form with these tiny little lines all going in the same direction. It's almost like a topographic map, but for a creature that only exists in Vajda's head. And then there are these other lines, really bold and confident, that just slice through the form. It’s this push and pull between control and chaos that I just find so compelling. It reminds me a little of Klee, that sense of playful experimentation, but with a darker edge. It’s like Vajda is saying, "Yeah, art can be fun, but it can also be a way to wrestle with some really heavy stuff." I think that's why I keep coming back to it.