Untitled (Abstract) 1937

Agnes Lyall made this abstract drawing sometime in her life with ink on paper. It’s all about the line here: bold, and kind of clumsy. You can almost feel her hand moving across the page, not worrying too much about perfection. I love the way the shapes bump into each other, creating a sense of depth. See that cluster of lines on the left? It’s like a little explosion of energy, grounding the image. The ink is matte and textured, not shiny or precious, and that physicality is really interesting. This work isn’t about hiding the process; it's about revealing it. Lyall reminds me of Forrest Bess, another artist who embraced the rough and imperfect, exploring the depths of their imagination through simple means. Art is a conversation, and Agnes Lyall has something unique to say.