Agron Krasniqi 2017

Gazmend Freitag made this portrait of Agron Krasniqi using graphite, or maybe charcoal, on paper. I love the way the drawing feels so immediate, so process-driven. You can almost see Freitag's hand moving across the page, building up the image with layers of delicate lines. Check out the hatching, those parallel lines used to create shading and volume. They are so rhythmic and repetitive; the cross-hatching on the jacket really gives it form, without ever feeling overworked. The marks remain so alive and expressive. I feel like it really captures something about Krasniqi's presence, a kind of quiet intensity. This piece reminds me of some of Lucian Freud's drawings. Both artists share a commitment to direct observation, and an interest in the human form, but there’s something so open and vulnerable about the way Freitag approaches the subject. The drawing embraces its own imperfections, and in doing so, it invites us to really see and connect with the person it represents.