Telephone drawings, or scribbles, belong, by all accounts, to the same modern techniques that emerged in art around Happenings, though clear influences from older and even ancient techniques are also evident influences. These drawings combine the use of available materials, of clearly defined working conditions (the telephone booth itself), and of limited time. With a successful drawing the viewer feels that in the telephone booth, and in the telephone booth alone, this particular drawing was possible. In the best examples, one can notice telephone-related symbols (numbers, short reminders) as well as expressions of nervousness, resulting from the extended wait on the telephone line, or even to finally get an available telephone line. In this respect, these two-dimensional works bring to mind the collage technique. Similar to the Happening, and to Japanese techniques of automatic painting, the conditions themselves are the artistic content. Another drawing, prepared in different conditions, even if externally similar, does not meet the necessary preconditions, and therefore cannot be considered an example of the technique. In the same way as we refuse to accept a contemporary replica of a painting by Rembrandt as equivalent to the original, a seemingly similar scribble not prepared in the telephone booth cannot reflect the totality of the conditions and thoughts that make an authentic telephone drawing.
Among the anonymous telephone artists exhibited here, there are those whose drawings are descriptive and we understand that through their drawings they are trying to present a picture or tell a story. As opposed to these, other artists work from an abstract perspective and their designs and their use of the page allows us a view into their inner world. Some of these artists artists, perhaps the best, work within additional limitations or preconditions. These are the artists who continue the drawings or the scribbles of earlier artists who “completed” their drawings without filling out the page. In these cases, we witness not only a rare and admirable artistic collaboration, but also a true artistic talent. These artists deal not only with the conditions of the telephone booth, with the tools at their disposal for an undetermined period of time, but also with the fragments of other, abandoned, drawings. In these finished works, it’s almost impossible to determine which parts are the “original” and which the addition.
Some people (including respected critics) look at these drawings and express regret that the painters did not have time to "finish" their work before finishing their phone calls (or were forced to stop by other artists impatiently awaiting their turn). This is a misguided approach that stems from a fundamental lack of understanding of the technique. The greatness of these drawings is enhanced by the fact that they are composed in the face of unanticipated external limitations. Artistic creation within pre-determined limitations is characteristic of many types of contemporary art. This characteristic is most evident in telephone drawings where the duration of the conversation is often extremely random.
The telephone booth is a metaphor for the modern world: it encapsulates conditions of uncertainty and discomfort. While dealing with often banal everyday issues, men and women manage to express their urge for beauty and creativity. When we observe the works of these anonymous artists we’re invited to glimpse into the human psyche.