Nexhmije Pagarusha 2013

Gazmend Freitag drew this portrait of Nexhmije Pagarusha in 2013, using what looks like graphite on paper. The marks are so alive! You can see the artist working, almost like a dance of hand and eye. It’s not so much about capturing a perfect likeness, but more about the act of seeing, of responding to the subject. I love the way the hair is rendered – these scribbly, energetic lines that somehow manage to convey volume and movement. Look at the teeth, that little patch of light and shadow, and how it makes the smile so real. The artist hasn’t tried to smooth everything out. You can see the roughness of the paper, the unevenness of the lines. It’s like the drawing is breathing. I’m reminded of Alice Neel, another artist who wasn’t afraid to let the process show. Both artists share a kind of raw honesty, an understanding that art is about so much more than just surface appearances. It’s about feeling, about connecting, about embracing the messy, imperfect beauty of life.