Sin título 1945

Joy Hester made this ink drawing on paper without a title, and we don't know exactly when. But it speaks volumes. The brushstrokes are so direct, like she’s thinking right onto the page. There's no messing around, just pure, unadulterated mark-making. Look at the way she uses the ink, sometimes watery, sometimes dense, to create shadows and depth with a kind of casual confidence. I keep coming back to that little knot in the tie. It's such a small detail, but it adds a touch of vulnerability to this man's face, which is so open and vulnerable. The whole piece feels like a fleeting moment, a snapshot of someone's inner world. It reminds me a little of Egon Schiele, with that same raw, emotional intensity. But Hester has her own way of pulling you in, making you feel like you're part of something intimate and unfinished.