I Came to Dance

Claudette Johnson

1982

Pastel and gouache on paper

130 x 100 cm

Full of movement and energy, this drawing depicts a woman who seems to twist and dance her way out of the sheet. Music and dance have a significant place within Claudette Johnson’s life and have informed her work throughout her career.

For this drawing, she began by making a curving line running from the top to the bottom of the sheet. The dynamic shapes and movements of the figure developed from there. The combination of highly detailed areas, such as the face and thigh, with others left spare and open creates a complex series of visual beats and rhythms.

Private Collection © Claudette Johnson, Image courtesy the artist and Modern Art Oxford.
Photo © Ben Westoby