Illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book 'In the Hedgehog's Windmill' 1956

This illustration for Mikhail Stelmakh's book, 'In the Hedgehog's Windmill', uses crosshatching, lots of little lines bumping up against each other to create tone and depth, like it's been scribbled into existence, which gives the piece a playful, slightly chaotic energy. The texture looks rough, almost scratchy, and I can imagine the artist using a fine nib pen to make all those tiny, insistent marks. This kind of mark-making is interesting, particularly in the lower right corner, because it's like the artist is feeling around for the form, not quite sure what it is, but enjoying the process of discovery. Maybe it's a hedgehog, maybe it's a ball, but who cares, right? For me it suggests the way we piece together meaning from fragments, embracing ambiguity over certainty. I am reminded of Saul Steinberg, especially his playful ink drawings. Both artists share a similar sense of humor and a willingness to embrace the absurd, reminding us that art, like life, is often more about the questions than the answers.