Traps & Snares c. 1953

Editor: Here we have Billy Morrow Jackson's "Traps & Snares" from around 1953, an intriguing ink drawing that feels almost like a musical blueprint. The stark black lines on a neutral ground create a rhythmic, jazzy kind of energy. I’m really curious - what jumps out at you when you look at this piece? Curator: Well, that's perceptive! It's like Jackson has translated the sonic experience of a drum kit into a visual score. The title "Traps & Snares" itself is playful, suggesting not only the literal components of a drum set, but perhaps the enticing and unpredictable nature of music-making itself. It almost looks like something made up of cryptic sigils – does that conjure anything for you? Editor: That's a great way of putting it! A cryptic sigil… it kind of elevates the mundane to the mystical. I guess I never really thought about a drum kit having symbolic potential. Curator: Absolutely! Look at the composition: It’s abstract but also clearly representational. Those seemingly random lines and shapes suddenly cohere into a recognizable image. It's that tension – the push and pull between abstraction and reality – that gives it such a unique energy. What kind of sound do you think it makes when you consider that energy? Editor: Wow, when you point it out, I totally get it. It sounds almost chaotic, something like a free-jazz improvisation. It feels raw and energetic and maybe… a little dangerous? Curator: Exactly! Jackson manages to capture a really specific feeling, that thrilling precariousness that exists at the edge of order and chaos. And for me, I see a bit of Cy Twombly here – though it predates him – it hints at how something messy can be beautiful. What do you think, seeing that parallel? Editor: It definitely opens up new ways of understanding both Jackson's work, and abstract expressionism as a whole. I'm so glad you could make the connection. Curator: And I’m glad you saw the music, you were listening right from the start!