The Courtauld Gallery is well known for its collection of impressive impressionist paintings. The images are easy on the eye and mostly made up of delicate colour patterns. However, a room has now been devoted to a series of monochrome images by Richard Serra which changes the ambiance of the whole gallery.

Richard Serra is an American sculptor. These two dimensional images are a far cry from his three dimensional work, however, they do not seem flat. Not at all. Black crayon is splattered across plastic sheets which seem to move with the light. The work is heavily textured, but it is done in a way that is tremendously subtle. It speaks volumes without having to shout.

The work may not exactly ‘fit in’ with everything else hanging on the Courtauld’s walls, but perhaps the stark difference is what is needed for us to truly appreciate the twelve drawings on display.

It is different but in a good way.

Richard Serra: Drawings for the Courtauld is on display until 12 January 2014