A Broader Definition

Untitled, 2006
Jasper Johns
Ink on plastic
26 1/2 x 31 in.
image - Matthew Marks Gallery

Since this image is currently hanging on the wall in front of me, it seemed fitting to share. John's drawing is a great example of the broad spectrum which the term drawing covers. (Here is a an exhibition focused on a broader definition of drawing at the Met). Drawing also typically falls into the category of works on paper in most museums. My own work (when I get to it) consists of what I call drawing, which is conducted with ink and a brush on paper. The lack of a formal canvas as well as paint (though paint is often a part of drawing as well) are often consistencies in "drawings". This is a particularly abstract image (though affinities with celestial objects, trees and water all come to mind) and I like it because of the material as well as the sectioning of the overall image. Very different things are going on but alll come together through the liquidity and touch of the ink.

The Sketch

Page from George Grosz's sketchbook, Manhattan Skyline, 1950-51
George Grosz (1893-1959)
38 pages of off-white wove paper; 23.3 x 15.3 cm.

My intentions were to share with you one of George Grosz's paintings of Manhattan but I had some trouble finding a good image of one, but I am including it here as well (Lower Manhattan, 1934, oil on cardboard, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco) I did in my inquiry find something very exciting though, a digitization of a sketchbook focused on the Manhattan skyline and mice! Why mice, I'm not sure, but being able to see the sketches of an artist such as Grosz is excellent. The sketchbook was part of an the exhibition, Under Cover: Artist's Sketchbooks held at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard which has a large collections of intact artist sketchbooks. They digitized a portion of them, which can be accessed on the Harvard art museums website.

George Grosz is well known for his bitter satirical images but spent a lot of time with his adopted city of New York in imagery as well and being a sucker for nyc images, well, I think my choice is obvious. For today, I am more interested in the aspect of sketchbooks as an entry into the mind and work ethic of an artist, from vague sketches (check out Fragonard's) to full-fledged works of art.

More online sketchbooks

Fascinating little article from 1932, when George Grosz first came to the U.S. to teach at the Art Student's League.