Portrait of Benno Reifenberg II

Arno König made this pencil drawing of Benno Reifenberg in 1963. It's all about mark-making here, isn't it? That accumulation of lines to build up the form, the face. There’s something so intimate about pencil on paper; you can almost feel the pressure of the artist's hand. I love the way König uses hatching to create volume, especially around the eyes and cheekbones. It's like he's mapping the landscape of the face, each line a small decision. Notice how the tie is barely described, just a few lines suggesting its form, while the face is so detailed. It tells you where the artists focus lay. It reminds me a little of Giacometti's drawings, that same search for form through a network of lines. Art's a conversation, right? Always echoing, always responding. And like any good conversation, it leaves you with more questions than answers.