From the Block: Dad 2013

Alfred Freddy Krupa drew this portrait of his dad in 2013 using graphite on paper. It's like he's building up the image from a network of lines, a real process of searching and finding form. You can almost feel the texture of the paper coming through, that creamy surface, as the graphite sits on top. It is not blended, so it's like every mark is visible, every decision laid bare. Look at the way he's handled the shading under the chin and around the eyes - scratchy, almost hesitant. Those lines add depth and volume, but also a sense of vulnerability, like the artist is trying to capture not just a likeness, but something deeper. There’s a raw honesty in this portrait, a directness that reminds me of Lucian Freud's drawings. The image feels unfinished somehow, resisting easy answers and inviting us to keep looking, keep questioning.