Lucas 

Curator: Before us, we have Alfred Conteh’s striking drawing, simply titled “Lucas.” It’s a portrait rendered in graphite and pencil. The impact is immediate. Editor: Yes, "immediate" is the word. The texture almost makes it feel like it's emerging from some decaying surface, or perhaps from memory itself. The lines segment the face—disrupting, yet somehow emphasizing the gaze upwards. I’m curious about the artistic choice there; the division suggests fracture but creates a compelling perspective of seeing beyond limitations. Curator: Exactly! Conteh employs a really interesting horizontal division throughout, superimposing this texture that feels reminiscent of decaying infrastructure onto a very vulnerable face. This reminds me how visual art serves as a cultural touchstone, connecting shared, lived experiences, evoking not only personal remembrance, but cultural memory, of say, structural racism. Editor: That's astute. The choice of graphite and pencil—basic, almost elemental materials—further enhances the impact. Conteh seems to intentionally be rejecting luxurious mediums to present his subject with unflinching directness, underscoring the stark reality represented. The visible labor in layering the pencil strokes—a tactile reminder of how it's assembled from its base elements. Curator: Right. Consider how portraiture functions across eras. Here, it’s not simply capturing likeness, it’s imbuing Lucas with symbolism reflecting current social issues and commentary. The upward gaze is loaded: Is it hope, defiance, yearning? Conteh invites interpretation. It evokes similar symbolism we see with historical figures or icons within a culture. Editor: I appreciate your attention to cultural meaning; looking again, the horizontal "cracks" resemble something like peeling paint – the type of degradation from substandard materials imposed by economic restraints in historically disenfranchised communities. The act of depicting a young person in this light is inherently a social statement—it compels viewers to question material inequities. It's raw; far removed from the preciousness so often ascribed to art. Curator: Precisely! By embedding socio-economic contexts, Conteh transforms a seemingly straightforward portrait into a narrative brimming with symbolism, making “Lucas” so much more than just an image, but really an expression and social reflection of human perseverance. Editor: The drawing embodies a powerful commentary on resilience and challenges us to interrogate the structures that impact individual lives. "Lucas," the drawing, transforms from subject to a symbolic statement of labor and social contexts within his medium and depiction.