Vajda Lajos Indián Fej 1940 1940

This drawing was made by Vajda Lajos in 1940. Look at that intense, all-over mark-making! It’s like he’s trying to capture a vision as fast as it appears, barely keeping up with it. The energy in this piece comes from the texture created by all those tiny lines and squiggles, all built up. It's not about smooth blending; it's about accumulation. See how the lines are more intense in certain areas, creating depth and shadow? And the way the eye on the right is rendered: layers and layers of marks, building something both abstract and figurative. It’s a process of seeing, unseeing, and re-seeing. This constant searching reminds me of the work of Philip Guston, especially in his later, more raw and expressive drawings. Both artists seem to be searching for something beyond the surface, something a bit raw and unpolished. The result? An image that feels alive, unstable, and deeply human.