Untitled [verso] 1970

This drawing was made by Joseph Beuys in 1970. You can see the ghost of an idea taking shape, the kind of quick sketch that captures a thought before it vanishes. Beuys' marks are tentative, almost shy, like he's coaxing the image into being. The graphite is so light, it barely disturbs the surface of the paper. There’s a circular structure with lines cutting across it. Around this he's written 'Nebenebene,' repeating the word as though trying to conjure the essence of the idea. It's this emphasis on process and the immediacy of thought that makes Beuys' work so compelling. The materiality of the drawing feels inseparable from the concept, it's all about the energy of the line, the trace of the hand, and the sense of something emerging. It reminds me a little of Cy Twombly's scribbled diagrams, both artists are using drawing as a way of mapping thought, allowing us to witness the fluidity and uncertainty of the creative act. Ultimately, Beuys invites us to embrace ambiguity.