Axis Noise Reflex 2018

Here we see Soey Milk’s 'Axis Noise Reflex' in graphite and ink, a sensitive rendering of form and light. I imagine Milk in her studio coaxing this image into being, shifting the tonal values, seeking a likeness. There is a vulnerability to the figure that makes me think about the long history of portraiture, which is to say that it feels like a vulnerable act. A certain kind of portraiture can act as a mirror to the artist, reflecting not only the likeness of the sitter, but also the artist’s own emotions and internal state, particularly through the handling of light and shadow. I love the way Milk uses graphite to create soft transitions and contrasts, almost like she is caressing the paper. This lends an intimacy to the work. And that touch of ink – a bold statement, like a painter’s signature against the delicate grays. The way she has combined these mediums reminds me of other artists who challenge the traditions of representation. There is something truly special happening in contemporary drawing practices.