Circus Girl No. 1 - (On the Wire) 1920

Yasuo Kuniyoshi made this drawing, Circus Girl No. 1, with pencil. I really like the way the composition has a tonal and linear approach to representing the figure in space. Looking at this work, I’m really struck by the texture. It’s on paper, and the image is built up with lots of quick, diagonal marks. Kuniyoshi uses the pencil to really emphasize certain areas and create depth. There’s this sort of scribbly, almost anxious mark-making, especially around the figure’s body, which contrasts beautifully with the smoother, more blended tones. It’s like he’s wrestling with the form, trying to pin it down, but also letting it breathe. Check out her torso, for example, and the subtle shading that gives her weight. It’s almost like a cross between Degas and a more contemporary, expressionistic style. Ultimately, art is a conversation, and there are no right or wrong answers, only different ways of seeing.