City 1914

Mstislav Dobuzhinsky made this drawing called, "City", with pencil on paper. You can really see the process through the marks, how the artist built up the image bit by bit, almost like sketching in space. The surface has a grainy texture from the pencil, with a soft, almost blurred quality that gives the city a hazy, dreamlike feel. Look closely at the sky, the pencil strokes are all going in the same direction, creating a sense of rain or atmosphere. The light in the middle is just suggested through erasing and the lack of heavy marks. This piece reminds me a bit of Piranesi's architectural fantasies, but with a more personal, intimate touch. Dobuzhinsky's city feels both familiar and alien, inviting us to wander through its mysterious streets and discover our own stories within its walls. Like all good art, it’s not about answers but about opening up possibilities.