Ursula Roschger 2018

Editor: This is a portrait of Ursula Roschger, a graphite drawing created by G. Freitag in 2018. It has such an introspective feel, almost melancholic. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The symbols are subtle, yet strong. Consider the gaze – slightly averted, suggesting contemplation or perhaps even weariness. The eyes, traditionally the windows to the soul, are rendered with great detail. I am drawn to how they interact with cultural expectations around portraiture and realism. Are we looking at an individual, or a representation of a broader emotional landscape? Editor: So you are saying the averted gaze and detail create meaning, maybe even sadness? Curator: Not simply sadness, but a weight. Portraits throughout history have been about power, status, and memory. Freitag’s work seems to consciously push against those traditions, offering a more vulnerable and less idealized image. Look at the directness of the graphite strokes versus the softer shading in her face – what kind of dialogue do you think the artist is creating through such a conscious decision? Editor: That contrast makes me see a sort of inner strength combined with an outer vulnerability, maybe? Like a modern take on classical portraiture, showing a real person and not just a powerful figure? Curator: Precisely. And it’s through these small subversions of traditional symbols – averted gaze instead of direct eye contact, raw strokes alongside delicate shading, the unadorned setting – that the work finds its psychological resonance. It holds a mirror to our own preconceptions about portraiture, doesn't it? Editor: That is a lot to think about, but this drawing now resonates with me on a different level. Thanks for sharing that perspective! Curator: And thank you for helping me to think about portraiture through the lens of a fresh and modern experience.