Keti Berisha 2015

Editor: Gazmend Freitag created this drawing, “Keti Berisha,” in 2015. It appears to be done in pencil, maybe with some colored pencil accents. It has a casual, almost snapshot-like quality, but I’m struck by how her gaze engages the viewer. What do you see in this piece? Curator: Well, immediately the cap pulls my eye. It’s rendered in green pencil, distinct from the earth tones of her hair and skin, acting as a halo or crown. Do you think that’s intentional? Editor: I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I see what you mean! The placement is almost iconic. Curator: Exactly! Throughout history, head coverings have been markers of status, identity, and sometimes piety. Here, in this modern portrait, the green cap functions less as a status symbol and more as an identifier – something specifically “Keti Berisha”. The quick sketch-like style gives it an approachable, everyday feel, yet the artist highlights specific aspects that hint at something deeper, perhaps her personality or her role within her community. Notice the shadowing around the eyes - suggesting experience, or perhaps even a hidden knowing. Editor: That’s interesting. So, you’re suggesting that the portrait isn’t just a likeness, but a kind of coded representation of her identity? Curator: Precisely. It asks us to consider how we visually represent ourselves and how others perceive us through culturally loaded symbols and colours, even in what appears to be a simple sketch. Consider too, the continuity of portraiture throughout art history - always a dance between likeness and ideal. Editor: I’ve never considered portraiture that way, as almost a collection of cultural symbols. It gives me a lot to think about regarding how we “read” images of people. Curator: Indeed. And how much these images also speak to our shared visual vocabulary over time.