Duet c. 1953

Billy Morrow Jackson made this print, Duet, using black ink on paper. It's hard to say when exactly, but he was active in the mid to late 20th century, so it’s from then. The lines are so immediate and raw; you can almost feel the artist sketching. It's not about perfection, more about capturing the energy of the moment. It reminds me of improvisational drawing, where you just let your hand go and see what happens. I love how the sparse ink creates the figures of musicians. They're not realistic, but they convey the feeling of jazz. Check out the saxophonist's head. Jackson renders it as a splatter of ink. It's as though he's trying to capture the sound of the music. It is a refreshing approach to form. This piece feels like a cousin to the work of Romare Bearden, who was also working with jazz themes. Both artists capture a certain energy. Ultimately, this print is an open-ended expression, leaving room for individual interpretation.