Cat’s Cradle 2018

Soey Milk made this graphite drawing called “Cat’s Cradle,” and you can really see the artist feeling her way through the image. Graphite is a humble material, but in her hands, it becomes so much more. I’m struck by the contrast between the woman’s soft, rounded form and the sharp, angular lines of the string. Notice how the graphite is layered to create depth and shadow on the figure, while the string is rendered with a clean, almost clinical precision. Look closely at the way the string loops around the woman's fingers, each knot and twist carefully delineated. The line is so insistent, demanding our attention. It reminds me a little of Francesca Woodman’s photography, where the artist uses her own body to explore themes of identity and vulnerability. Like Woodman, Milk seems interested in the way the body can be both a source of power and a site of constraint. Art’s not about answers, is it? It's more about asking the right questions.