DS 1958

David Smith made this drawing, titled ‘DS’, on paper, back in 1958. Look at the way the pencil lines hover and suggest form, it’s like he’s thinking through the shapes right there on the page. I’m fascinated by how Smith uses line, not to define, but to explore. Notice the tentative quality, the way the lines sometimes double back or fade away. It’s almost as if he’s mapping out the possibilities of a sculpture in space. The texture of the paper is visible, adding to the sense of immediacy. It reminds me of Cy Twombly, another artist who embraced the beauty of the imperfect line. There’s a lightness of touch, a sense of play, that invites you to fill in the blanks and complete the image in your own mind. Art is a conversation, an ongoing dialogue across time. Smith’s drawing reminds us that artmaking is a process of discovery, a journey into the unknown.