Over the five decades of his career, Cunningham produced thousands of pen and pencil drawings. Some, depicting dogs or human figures, appear to be inspired by the same subjects that populate his paintings. Others, populated by winged figures or reproducing sunny countryside landscapes, find no counterpart in the rest of his production. Cunningham’s process, however, tended to be consistent. Constantly in a state of inspiration, he would endlessly sketch on any piece of paper he could get his hands on, at any time of the day. Many drawings were made while travelling on the bus or sitting on their balcony, to quickly capture the pulsating life unravelling before his eyes.

Others, however, seem to be instead imaginative reinventions of people he would see on the streets of London, reworked to include fantastical or exotic elements. Cunningham’s paintings intrigue viewers with their large surfaces, dense with coarse brushstrokes and dark colours. His drawings, on the other hand, are conspicuously small and often sketched on loose sheets of paper. Forms come to life through thin, nervous lines that possess a kinetic, almost cinematic quality. Made with quick pencil, pen or charcoal markings, these chaotic shapes express a continuous sense of motion.