This portrait comes from an idea that’s been part of an ongoing series about memories, how they get damaged, repaired, and reshaped over time. The original photo for this piece had been shredded and then reassembled, leaving a tiny gap running through the image. I wanted to keep that imperfection visible, almost like a quiet reminder of the story behind it.

What I enjoyed most? Treating each fragment of the photo as if it were a separate piece of paper mounted inside the frame. It turns the drawing into a small optical illusion, where you’re not just looking at a face, but at the process of putting something back together. Portraits were my main focus for over a decade. Even though my subject matter has shifted in recent years, drawings like this still feel grounding. They remind me where I started.

Commission
Year: 2020
Size: 16″ x 20″
Graphite drawing on Paper