J. Dyckman Estate c. 1936

Gilbert Sackerman made this map of the J. Dyckman Estate. Sackerman's work is so interesting because he's using the guise of cartography, of making a useful image, to actually let his imagination bloom. I love the way he uses color to create a real sense of depth, but the real treat here is the texture. Look closely and you'll see how the fields aren't just flat expanses of green. There’s the distinct impression of individual marks, thousands of them, all working together to create a lively surface. It reminds me of how a pointillist painter like Seurat would build up an image dot by dot. It's like Sackerman found a secret language hidden in plain sight! You can also see how Sackerman builds his own vocabulary with the little crest at the top. The way the elements of the crest are so cartoonish, it makes you want to smile. This piece reminds me of the work of Alfred Jensen, especially in the way that there's real pleasure in the process.