Fran Tanushi 2018

Gazmend Freitag made this drawing, Fran Tanushi, in 2018. The surface is alive with the artist's touch, all these hatched lines. It's like the artist is building up the form, bit by bit, each stroke contributing to the overall image, which is a process I really relate to in my own work. Up close, you can see the tooth of the paper coming through. The pencil lines vary in weight, from light whispers to dark, decisive marks. Look at the way Freitag renders the eyes, so much intensity there. The artist has clearly built up the tones slowly, layering lines to give depth and volume, but it's never overworked. For me, this drawing is a reminder of the power of simple means. The artist is saying something profound about portraiture, in conversation with artists like Lucian Freud, but in their own way. It shows how the best art is less about answers and more about the questions it provokes.