Nadége with green scarf 2012

Editor: This is Gazmend Freitag's "Nadège with green scarf," a pencil drawing from 2012. It feels spontaneous, almost like a quick sketch capturing a fleeting moment. What strikes me is the use of red and green, creating a vibrant yet somewhat unsettling effect. How do you interpret this work? Curator: Freitag's choice to render Nadège in red and green pencils, rather than opting for more traditional portraiture colors, raises interesting questions about representation. Think about how the color red is so often associated with passion, anger, or even danger, while green often represents nature, growth, or envy. What does this color palette suggest to you about Nadège, the individual, or perhaps about the artist's relationship to her? Editor: I hadn't considered the symbolic weight of the colors. Maybe it's about the push and pull of different emotions or aspects of her personality? I’m curious – do you think the artist is making a specific statement about Nadège, or is it more about exploring color and form? Curator: I think it’s both. The rawness of the pencil strokes, the immediacy of the line, gives it a sense of unfiltered expression. Perhaps Freitag aims to subvert traditional notions of portraiture, to suggest identity isn’t fixed but rather a collection of impressions, feelings, even contradictions. It acknowledges the inherent subjectivity in portraying another person, moving beyond a simple likeness. What are your thoughts now? Editor: Seeing it that way makes it much more complex and engaging. The colors become a commentary on how we perceive people, not just what they look like. Thanks, that’s a perspective I hadn't fully grasped. Curator: And that’s the beauty of engaging with art! We bring our own experiences and perspectives to the table, enriching our understanding of both the artwork and ourselves.