Arlinda Guma 2021

Editor: We're looking at "Arlinda Guma," a pencil drawing by Gazmend Freitag from 2021. There's something quite pensive about her pose, almost contemplative. What strikes you most when you look at this drawing? Curator: Well, first, the immediate visual draw is how the artist utilizes the graphite – its grade, the pressure applied – to construct not just a likeness but also texture and tone. You can see the hand of the artist, the labor involved, in each visible stroke. It challenges our assumptions of “high art” by celebrating the materiality of a common medium like pencil, elevated through skillful application. What sort of paper do you think was used and what implications would that have for the reading of the drawing? Editor: I would guess a fairly smooth paper? I suppose that emphasizes the control Freitag has over the pencil itself, as a rougher paper might add texture beyond what they intended. How does the social context play into your understanding? Curator: Precisely! Now, think about portraiture and its history. Traditionally, it’s been a domain of the wealthy, rendered in oil paint on canvas. Here, we have a contemporary drawing, accessible in both medium and style. It democratizes the genre, suggesting that the act of observation and creation, the *making*, is paramount. It invites a wider audience to participate in art, both as creators and viewers. Editor: That's interesting. I hadn't thought about it in terms of accessibility. Does the contemporary context change our understanding of portraiture more broadly? Curator: It pushes us to question what constitutes art, moving beyond the traditional materials and hierarchies. It challenges us to think about art's role in reflecting everyday experiences, using readily available means. It reframes labor and challenges traditional notions around value! What's your key takeaway then? Editor: I think I see how focusing on the materials and methods, in this case a simple pencil on paper, reveals a deeper conversation about artmaking and access that I hadn't considered before. Curator: Exactly! The focus on material provides new paths into appreciating and understanding an artwork's many cultural connections and historical position.