Cast Iron Fence c. 1936

Al Curry created this drawing of a cast iron fence, and when I look at it, I see the real subject is mark-making itself. Look at the dedication in the varying weights of line, the hatching and cross-hatching, and the way the density of marks defines form and space. The texture in this work is all in the surface of the paper, which gives it a slightly aged look, as though we are seeing the original technical drawing. Curry makes such inventive use of the possibilities of monochrome, and it reminds me of artists like Jasper Johns and Terry Winters, who have mined the depths of greyscale with such dedication. The wrought iron is carefully drawn, so that the negative space becomes as important as the solid form. The little curlicues at the gate’s base, how they repeat and vary like a visual echo. It is almost figurative in its exuberance! The whole composition feels like a kind of dance across the page.