Black Athlete (Study #1) 1970

Benny Andrews made this drawing, Black Athlete (Study #1), with what looks like a fine liner, and it's all about the process, the movement of the hand across the page. The drawing is almost diagrammatic, like a blueprint for a sculpture or a costume. See the figure on the left? It’s like a fantastical being, part athlete, part something else entirely, with a kind of trophy or strange fruit hanging above the seated figure. The way Andrews uses line is so direct, so unadorned. It reminds me of Guston's late work. But where Guston got all bulbous and clunky, Andrews stays light, almost airy. It's about capturing a feeling, an essence, rather than a literal representation. And that’s what makes it so powerful. It’s a study, yes, but it’s also a complete work of art. In a way, it is also very similar to the work of contemporary artist Trenton Doyle Hancock, who also explores complex narratives and uses line drawings with a similar kind of expressive freedom.