Stonbridge in Prizren 2 2010

Gazmend Freitag made Stonbridge in Prizren 2 using pen on paper. The hatching marks give the buildings and bridge a sense of form, but it’s like they are also dissolving into the whiteness of the page. Looking closely, you can see the varying pressure of the pen, the way some lines are thick and confident, while others are tentative and thin, almost disappearing. See how the shading under the bridge is made up of so many tiny parallel lines? Freitag lets us see the way he’s built up the image, bit by bit. I always think it’s brave when an artist lets you see the decisions they’ve made in the process of making the work. This reminds me a bit of Piranesi’s architectural drawings. Both artists share a love for intricate detail, inviting us to wander through imagined or remembered spaces, blurring the line between observation and invention. Art isn't about perfection; it’s about the ongoing conversation between the artist, the subject, and us.