Untitled 1961

Burgoyne Diller made this untitled drawing with color pencils. The grey pencil shading in the background feels hazy, like a cloudy day, and the yellows and blues are like little windows of light cutting through the gloom. I can imagine Diller carefully building up each block of color, layering the pencil marks to create a subtle texture. He must have been thinking about Mondrian, maybe Lissitzky. These constructivist artists were trying to create a new visual language based on geometry and primary colors, but Diller's drawing feels more personal, more handmade. The slight imperfections and variations in the pencil strokes give it a human touch. The composition feels balanced, yet slightly off-kilter, like a building that's been slightly warped. I can feel the artist playing with space and form, pushing and pulling the elements to create a dynamic tension. It reminds me of the way artists are always building on each other's ideas, remixing and reinterpreting the past in their own unique way.