Garden I 1971

Leonard Lehrer made this, Garden I, with ink on paper. It's like he's building a world with lines, isn't it? Look closely, and you can see how the density of marks changes the atmosphere, giving a sense of depth and light. The texture is flat and smooth, but the hatching creates a kind of visual vibration. I am drawn to the way Lehrer captures the texture of the foliage, the lines almost look feathery in places. The marks are so rhythmic they almost make a sound, a kind of visual hum. This use of line reminds me of the drawings of Agnes Martin, both artists coaxing the viewer into a contemplative space through simple means. Lehrer shows us that there are infinite ways to capture a scene, and it is in the process of mark making that the world comes alive.