Red Flags c. 1928

Joseph Webster Golinkin made this image, Red Flags, using graphite on paper. Look at the light and dark tones, the shading, and the sheer amount of detail. I just love to think about how it came to be, slowly emerging through his intuition. I'm sympathizing with the artist here. What must it have been like to create such a complex image? There is so much physicality in those marks. Look at the way he shades the steam and how the light illuminates the road workers. Imagine his hands moving across the page, capturing the gritty realism of urban life. That police officer's stance says it all! He's almost theatrical, like a figure in a play. I love how Golinkin captures these fleeting moments of life. It's a conversation, an exchange of ideas across time, with other image makers. The gesture embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple interpretations.