Wedding Dress 1935 - 1942

Linnet Alward made this drawing of a wedding dress sometime in the 20th century. Alward's delicate mark-making speaks to a quiet, steady process. Up close, the dress seems to shimmer. I notice that each tiny flower is built from layers of graphite, giving them a subtle weight. The dress seems both present and strangely ghostly, hanging against the paper. The lines have an incredible lightness. The artist has managed to capture not only the form of the dress but also its texture and translucence. It reminds me of Agnes Martin's drawings, with their quiet, meditative quality. There is something so affecting about the gentle focus and close attention to detail. Ultimately, this work feels like a conversation. It is not just about a dress, but about the process of seeing and recording, and about the passing of time.