Page 26, Line 26 by Catherine Macdonald

Inspired by page 26, line 26 of 'Dancers on a Plane' by John Cage, Merce Cunningham, and Jasper Johns.

Drawing conclusions

The right hand side of the drawing shows an arm, outstretched. Holding a red

dog lead. The lead is taut, a hard line going off the left hand side of the page.

You don’t really see the dog, just its tail end, but you feel it, the strain is evident in

the grip of the hand, clenched like a fist. It’s got to be a muscle dog, one of those

killer breeds, untrained most likely. Stocky and determined, with a low base

growl - but now you’re starting to let your assumptions show. The owners one of

“those people.” The ones that get dogs for the look of them - to provide

whatever reputation they have failed to gain for themselves. There we go -

assumptions fully out in the open now.

The arm is a man’s, drawn in pencil 2B probably - the line has a darkness to it but

not the smudge that can come with a 6B lead. There is some crosshatching that

defines the bicep and some simple hatch lines for the forearm and underarm hair.

You can just see his shoulder (being pulled out of its socket) and the strap of the

singlet he’s wearing. He really should’ve taught the dog to heal.

The drawing is pinned to the wall, behind a door, in an open home you’re

viewing. The place has good bones but is located is a street that has yet to be

gentrified, if you got it you’d be hoping to start a trend.

Written at the bottom of the page is: you and that bitch.

Catherine Macdonald