Dimensions: frame: 369 x 308 x 22 mm
Copyright: © The estate of Barry Flanagan, courtesy Plubronze Ltd | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This is Barry Flanagan’s "Jack Wendler," a framed drawing held at the Tate. It's a very simple line drawing, almost austere. What do you see in the composition of this piece? Curator: The economy of line is striking, isn't it? Note how a single, unbroken contour defines the brow and spectacle frame, suggesting form with minimal means. It reflects a concern with pure form and the essence of representation. Editor: It's fascinating how much information is conveyed with so little. Did artists often create line art? Curator: Line art in this style emphasizes the fundamental structure, divorcing itself from the decorative or emotive. What do you think that kind of pure style adds to the piece? Editor: It's so simple it's hard to make a deeper connection. I see your point about the focus on the structural form. Curator: Exactly. And that formal emphasis invites us to consider the very nature of line and its capacity for representation. Perhaps a sketch as preparatory work for something more? Editor: I hadn't thought of that, but it makes sense. Thanks!
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Jack Wendler 1973 is a pen and ink line portrait drawing of the American collector and art dealer Jack Wendler. Wendler ran an art gallery in London between 1971 and 1974, exhibiting American and European artists such as Lawrence Weiner (born 1942), Robert Barry (born 1936), Jan Dibbets (born 1941), Ian Wilson (born 1940), Douglas Huebler (1924–1997), John Baldessari (born 1931), Mario Merz (1925–2003), Hanne Darboven (born 1941), Marcel Broodthaers (1924–1976) and John Murphy (born 1945). Wendler, with his wife Nell, was friendly with Flanagan and his family, and he owned Flanagan’s sculpture Edge Hill Piece 1975. In 1973, Wendler commissioned Flanagan to make drawings of his family, and this drawing was done at that time though was not part of the commission. At this time Flanagan made similar drawings and etchings of friends and neighbours. Portrait etchings that have a diaristic flavour include Richard Alston c.1971–2 (Tate P02774), Richard Hamilton Working 1972 (Tate P02775), Tom Raworth 1972 (Tate P02784) and Larry Weiner 1973 (Tate P02792).
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