Boy's Jacket c. 1939

Douglas Campbell made this drawing of a Boy’s Jacket with graphite and watercolour on paper. I'm struck by the soft palette and the delicate touch, it feels like a ghostly memory, or a half-remembered dream. The subtle texture of the paper peeks through, giving the drawing a sense of depth and atmosphere. Look at the way Campbell renders the folds and creases of the fabric! It’s almost like he's trying to capture the essence of the jacket, rather than just its outward appearance. There’s an enigmatic quality to the piece, like it's hinting at something just beyond our grasp. The way the drawing fades into the paper around the edges is like a metaphor for the passage of time, the way memories fade and shift over the years. It reminds me of some of Vija Celmins' graphite drawings – that same sense of quiet contemplation. With the jacket floating in space, Campbell reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, full of echoes and whispers across time.