Calvin 

Alfred Conteh’s portrait, Calvin, is made using acrylic, charcoal, and ink on canvas. The subdued palette and the visible texture, almost like distressed surfaces, influence the appearance, lending a sense of history to the work. Conteh’s layering of materials and techniques—drawing with charcoal, painting with acrylics, mark-making with ink—imbues the artwork with social and cultural significance. His work acknowledges the traditions of portraiture, while also using materials that speak to a broader sense of materiality. The use of such ‘earthy’ materials ties in with wider social issues. It implies a connection with the land, with labor, with a history that is both personal and collective. You can sense the amount of work involved in its production; the layering, the mark-making, and the evident care of the hand. By focusing on materials, making, and context, we can understand the full meaning of this artwork, and challenge the traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.