Ivoire c. 1925

Walt Kuhn made this drawing, Ivoire, with what looks like charcoal or graphite. There’s something about this approach that feels like a dance with the medium, right? What strikes me is how Kuhn uses these dusty marks to suggest form and shadow. The figure almost emerges from the ground, as if he’s sculpting with light and dark. Look at the hair: it’s a mass of scribbled energy, each stroke building the volume and texture. This feels very process-oriented. I am reminded of Picasso and his line drawings, a similar economy of means, or maybe even Matisse, but with a more somber touch. But hey, that's the beauty of art, right? It's always in conversation.