Drawing is the center, no, the pillar of my practice and I was very excited to see this exhibit at the AGO.  Drawing is rarely seen as an end in itself but more a means to an end.  That was how i was trained and i remember years ago my cousin showing me a drawing of his and i told him he had to move beyond “just drawing”  -  luckily he ignored me.  Now, years later, i champion drawing for what it is.  This AGO exhibit shows the diversity of drawing - from drawing as the end product, drawings as process and even drawings that some may not even consider drawings. 

The previous post talked about my frustration with this pervasive feeling that the viewer needs to be educated in art.  Drawing is very approachable.  Even people who are not artists have drawn something - it is the most universal of all the mediums and it transcend all art practices and historical periods.  Every visual image begins with a mark.  It is personal, and thereby knowable - approachable.  The first didactic panel in the exhibit is a quote from Degas, “Drawing is the artist’s most direct and spontaneous expression, a species of writing.  It reveals better than does painting the artists true personality”.  Because it gets equated with process - we are all more forgiving of drawings - and there is an expectation of experiment, unresolved ideas - i think of drawing as closely related to poetry - rules don’t need to be followed and it will be judged less harshly. The engagement that I spoke of in the previous post can more fluidly be played out.  Betty Goodwin’s work which was heavily based in drawing and of which there are 4 on display in this exhibit stated in one of her note books dated 1981, “Drawing is the most unalienated medium.  Private, it practically doesn’t have an audience in mind, just the artist’s expression.”  

The center room (136) is devoted to life drawing and they have provided an area with three drawing horses set up with boards and paper to sketch either a seated person or a self portrait (mirror is provided).  I am not sure how many participate - life drawing particularly can be anxiety provoking and is perhaps the least inviting especially without a facilitator - however it does sets a stage, a narrative that the viewer can at the very least imagine what it is like even if they choose not to participate.

So does the AGO’s exhibit on their drawings succeed?  i think yes.  The three small rooms (Galleries 135, 136 & 137), the drawings selected and the lighting used give the feeling of intimacy - like you have walked into a sketch book or a personal journal. The diversity of artists, time periods and didactic panels that express the curators feelings about the drawings are appropriate to the tone they have created - that of an intimate experience - one on one with a drawing.  The final gallery  (135) has a more dynamic range of what can be considered drawing bringing in sculpture, colour and even painted sketches.  Letting the viewer out with a bit of excitement.

The AGO is also running life drawing classes and they are taking place in these galleries.  i think that is a wonderful use of the space!     http://artmatters.ca/wp/2016/02/life-drawing/