Zelfportret c. 1974

This self-portrait by Philip Akkerman, made with pencil on paper, is like a quick thought jotted down. Akkerman's mark-making feels direct and unpretentious, almost like he’s thinking out loud with his pencil. The texture of the drawing comes from the energetic strokes of the pencil. Look at how the shading is built up with these short, choppy lines, creating a sense of depth and volume. It’s raw and immediate, and you can almost feel the artist's hand moving across the page. Notice how the lines around the mouth suggest a sense of speaking or singing. It's not about perfection, but about capturing a fleeting moment. Akkerman reminds me of artists like Guston, who embraced a kind of rough, honest approach to image-making. Art doesn’t always have to be polished, sometimes it’s more interesting when it’s a little messy and full of feeling.