Hanging Garden 1973

Ion Alin Gheorghiu made this drawing, Hanging Garden, in 1973. It feels like a quick, almost impulsive, kind of making, where the artist’s hand is really evident. I love the way he’s used a limited palette of ochre, blue, and black to create this vertical form. The colours are laid down with a kind of urgency; you can see the direction of the marks, particularly in the ochre, which gives it this radial energy. Look at how the blue is used to create a central channel, almost like a river running through the composition. Then, these black, leaf-like forms are arranged around it, creating a sense of depth and enclosure. It reminds me a little of some of the botanical drawings of Hilma af Klint, but with a rawer, more immediate feel. It’s a good reminder that art is always a conversation, an ongoing exploration of ideas and forms.