Untitled Drawing F#1 - 94 1994

This untitled drawing was made by Stephen Antonakos, using what looks like graphite or charcoal on paper, with the addition of a simple blue cross. The artist's hand is evident in the countless individual marks that create a dense field of black, a testament to a patient, repetitive labor. The texture and weight of the charcoal create a tangible depth, almost like a void, out of which the cross emerges. There are no esoteric high-tech materials at work here. Just the basics. The drawing process here becomes conceptually charged. The humble materials and the clearly visible, repetitive labor draw our attention to the conditions of artmaking, and the often invisible work that goes into the creative process. The drawing challenges the distinction between 'high art' and the tradition of craft where skill and manual work is prized. It invites us to see value not just in the final image, but in the act of making itself.