SKETCHING AT THE MET

I saw two people sketching at the MET’s  David Hockney show. In most museum shows that I see, it is rare to see someone with a sketchbook. Yet these two people were drawing from different works in the same room.

The person above was using a digital tablet to record information. That is the first time that I have seen this sort of engagement of a digital device. What makes this more interesting is that Hockney did a series of digital draughters on an iPad. And part of the show displayed these draughters on tall digital screens. Each screen had a sequence of these draughters;  a work was visible for 10 seconds or so and then it would dissolve into the next draughter.  So it was a nice touch to see this person completing the circle by using their digital device to record the, in this instance, analogue output of Hockney.  Notice that I did not say that this person was drawing.

And then the person below was drawing with a very nice Representational Spacetime technique, using a pencil in their sketchbook.  Note that they were drawing and their output is what is called a drawing.  These pages have recorded other instances of people actually drawing out in the world;  it is always great to see.

Most of the time, everyone else in the museum does not give the person drawing any mind.  That is to say, very few look over the drawer’s shoulder and see what they are up to.  This could be due to politeness.  Although I tend to peg the sentiment as apathetic.

If it were up to me, we would all be gathered around watching them draw;  I think this is more interesting than the art show itself.