And While You're in There, Find out Something About a Fellow Named Abe Lincoln 1943

Charles Alston’s, And While You're in There, Find out Something About a Fellow Named Abe Lincoln, uses simple materials - likely pencil or charcoal on paper - to cut right to the quick. I’m drawn to the figure of Uncle Sam, over on the left, watching. Alston’s mark-making is so apparent here. You can see every stroke, every adjustment. It’s not about hiding the process but revealing it, making visible the thinking behind the doing. Look at how the lines are built up, layer upon layer, to create the shadows on his face. The pressure of the pencil on the page varies, creating a sense of depth and volume. I keep thinking about Honoré Daumier, who also used drawing to make social commentary. But Alston’s work has a directness, a kind of no-nonsense attitude, that's all his own. Art isn't always about answers; sometimes, it’s about asking the right questions.