Untitled (Abstract) 1937

Ray Kaiser made this untitled abstract print using ink on paper. Right away, what grabs me is the pure joy in mark-making. She’s not trying to trick you into thinking it’s anything other than ink on paper, and that’s the magic. Look at the different textures she’s conjured, from the dense, almost woven quality of some areas to the looser, more gestural strokes elsewhere. The stark contrast between black and white heightens the graphic punch. There's an ambiguity which keeps the eye roving around the whole composition, asking what are these things and how do they relate to each other? Take that patch of tightly packed dots on what could be a leg. It’s almost vibrating with energy, a tiny universe of its own, set against the flowing lines around it. This piece, with its playful ambiguity and embrace of process, reminds me a little of some of the later work of Philip Guston, who also wasn’t afraid to let his hand, and his sense of humor, guide the way.