Drawing for ‘Woman Ill in Bed Surrounded by Family’ 1965

Editor: This is Leon Kossoff's drawing for ‘Woman Ill in Bed Surrounded by Family,’ housed at the Tate. The frantic lines really convey a sense of anxiety. What do you see in the way he uses his materials? Curator: The frenetic quality speaks to the labour involved, doesn't it? Consider the sheer physical effort of applying such dense charcoal markings. It's not just representation; it's about the artist's actions, his process. The materiality becomes paramount, almost obscuring the subject. Editor: So, you're saying the process is as important as the final image? Curator: Even more so! The act of making becomes a record of emotional and physical investment. We're witnessing labor, not just a picture. The work becomes an artifact of production. Editor: That gives me a whole new way of looking at it. Thanks! Curator: Indeed. It really makes you think about the choices that went into making this drawing.