Overground II 1994

Andrew Topolski made this work, Overground II, with graphite and charcoal on paper, and right away I'm drawn into his process, a kind of push and pull between precision and looseness. I mean, look at how he builds up these swirling, almost architectural forms on the left. You can practically feel the graphite layering on the page, creating depth and shadow, while the right side of the drawing dissolves into these ghostly, schematic lines. It's like seeing the ghost of a building, or maybe just the idea of one. And the surface itself, that paper, it's not pristine. It's got this aged, almost distressed quality that makes the whole thing feel like it's been unearthed, like some ancient blueprint. Topolski's work reminds me a bit of Piranesi's architectural fantasies, or maybe even some of the early constructivists. It's about space, form, but also about the very act of seeing and imagining. It's an invitation to wander, to get lost.