Riddler 2008

Curator: Let's talk about Greg Hildebrandt's "Riddler" from 2008, a captivating portrait rendered in pencil and coloured pencil. Editor: My first thought? Utter delight. The stark contrast of white against the void pulls you right into the Riddler's manic energy. It’s unsettling, but in a deliciously comic-booky way. Curator: Absolutely. What I find compelling is how Hildebrandt navigates the high-art/low-art divide. Comic art often gets sidelined, but the craftsmanship here – the intense detail in the rendering – elevates it. Notice how the figure dominates the dark space: What effect do you think the artist was aiming for? Editor: For me, it screams performance. He’s theatrical, putting on a show. That gleaming question mark on the cane practically dares you to play along. I'm also wondering about the tools Hildebrandt employed: that colored pencil work brings a raw, visceral feel. Almost scratchy... deliberately unnerving, I'd say. Curator: Agreed. The visible texture highlights the labor involved, the artist's hand at work. It’s not slick digital perfection, but something tangibly human, even though he is portraying a villain. There’s also the consumption aspect. Comic characters, like the Riddler, become commodities, subject to ever-shifting interpretations. Hildebrandt adds to that chain. Editor: That’s insightful. It speaks to this continuous re-imagining of these figures that have permeated our cultural lexicon, as if artists everywhere seek to understand their mystery. The shadow play on his face intrigues me – it almost creates another riddle in itself! Curator: Indeed, from a materialist perspective, this drawing embodies a confluence of production, consumption, and artistic intent. What do you take away from it? Editor: "Riddler" has completely flipped my idea about how 'real' something drawn can seem. The work is madcap and beautifully rendered. Curator: Agreed, its strength comes from how the mundane material--paper, pencils-- become more.