Portrait 1989

Oleg Holosiy created this untitled portrait using charcoal and possibly chalk on cardboard. The choice of material has a direct effect on the artwork's appearance: cardboard has a coarse texture, the tooth, which influences how the charcoal or chalk adheres to the surface, creating a distinctive contrast between the dark marks and the ground. We see it as a very quick study, maybe capturing a fleeting moment, rather than a carefully posed subject.   Using cardboard rather than, say, fine art paper also makes this portrait really interesting in terms of social and cultural significance. Holosiy perhaps wasn't interested in traditional distinctions between fine art and craft.   So next time you look at a portrait, think about what the artist is trying to say through their choice of materials. It might reveal more than the subject itself.