Melbourne artist Mark Hislop presents obsessively rendered portraits in gentle grey lead. All beautifully unique these contemplative studies are quiet and lovely, but also a little bit voyeuristic.
While full of absolute attention to detail, you might struggle to identify these people, if it were not for their names. These are all portraits from the behind. The back of the head. The nape of the neck.
This is interesting for a couple of reasons. In a voyeuristic way, it implies that maybe the subjects don't know they are being drawn. Or perhaps they don't want to be drawn (turning the back). And also because this is the view of ourselves that we don't often see. That we don't glance at in the mirror. And perhaps we might not even recognise ourselves from behind.
There is definitely something seductive about that mass of hair being the focal point of a drawing. Just like strands of hair, each pencil stroke is a tiny, but important moment in the structure of the whole.
Mark Hislop: Drawing
2 Albert Street
Richmond VIC 3141
OPENING DRINKS WEDNESDAY 3 MARCH 6-8PM
Runs until 27 March 2010