This work is from a series of preparatory drawings for Poker Game (1970). It is evidence of Day's process of experimenting with imagery and reconfiguring the relationships between elements within his tableaus. Figures shift positions around the table. An additional character appears and is then eliminated. The perspectival view into the space pivots, shifting from one side of the room to another. Interior and exterior elements such as windows, doors, and furniture take on different characteristics; for example, the vertical fabric curtain in this drawing becomes a dark mysterious mass, engulfing the figure of Dennis Leon. This remarkably rich series of drawing shows us that every element in Poker Game, as in all of Day's paintings, is deliberately rendered and placed, such that his finished compositions exhibit ease and confidence.
Description
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