Tracing: Wall Street, Trinity Church c. 1915

John Marin made this drawing, "Tracing: Wall Street, Trinity Church" with graphite on paper. Look at those strokes, how they dart and weave! It's like Marin was trying to capture the very pulse of the city. I can almost feel his hand moving quickly, urgently, across the page, trying to pin down something fleeting. What was he thinking as he sketched? Was he excited by the energy of Wall Street or intimidated by its power? Maybe both. There’s a push and pull between the solid forms of the buildings and the almost frantic energy of the marks. I love the way the lines vibrate against each other, creating a sense of depth and movement. It reminds me of other artists like the futurists, who were trying to capture the dynamism of modern life. Artists are always riffing off one another, responding to the world around them in their own unique way. And in the end, it's all about trying to make sense of the beautiful, chaotic mess of existence.