Gabriele 2008

Gazmend Freitag made this artwork, Gabriele, with paint and ink, letting the figure emerge with washes of color and expressive lines. I can imagine Freitag working on this, starting perhaps with the face and then letting the black dress spread across the paper like a spill. See how the red hair is almost scribbled, full of energy, contrasting with the pale face that has more definition? The color palette is muted, with greys, blues, and greens in the background, allowing the darks and reds of the figure to advance. It's interesting how the legs are built up with linear strokes, as though he’s mapping out the contours and volume with lines alone. There's something raw about that approach. Gabriele feels like a quick study, but also a very considered work. I see echoes of other artists here, of course, but Freitag brings his own immediacy and vulnerability. And so the conversation continues.