Thomas Stelzer 2021

Gazmend Freitag made this drawing, "Thomas Stelzer," in 2021, using pencil on paper. Look at the way Freitag uses lines to create form, almost like he’s knitting the face together. There's a real sense of process here, of building up the image bit by bit. The texture is interesting because you can see the individual marks so clearly. It's not about hiding the work, but about showing it. See how the lines around the eyes create depth, but also a kind of nervous energy? And the way the mouth is rendered, with those soft, smudged lines, gives the portrait a feeling of warmth. It reminds me a little of Alice Neel’s portraits, in the way it captures a likeness but also a sense of the person's inner life. It’s a reminder that art is always a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas and approaches. Ultimately, Freitag’s drawing embraces ambiguity. It offers a glimpse, not a definitive statement, and leaves room for our own interpretations.