Portrait of Hedda Stern 

Curator: Jules Perahim’s pencil drawing, "Portrait of Hedda Stern," is an evocative, if sparse, work. Editor: I find its incompleteness quite charming. The delicacy of the line work and the bare paper combine for a rather ephemeral feeling, like a half-remembered dream. Curator: Perahim was a significant figure in the Romanian avant-garde, associated with both Dada and Surrealism. Though not explicitly political, his artistic engagement was deeply intertwined with the social upheavals of his time. How do you think this piece reflects, or perhaps deflects, those tumultuous currents? Editor: Well, I'm struck by the gaze, directed right at the viewer. Despite being a sketch, there is intensity. But technically speaking, notice how the hatching around the eyes brings those specific lines of focus to the face to intensify her presence in the minimal composition. Curator: True, the focus of the eyes is remarkable, considering the sketch-like nature of the piece. Considering it’s a portrait of a woman we know little about today, it is worth considering how social dynamics are depicted. Do you believe Perahim’s depiction reinforces any established norms or pushes against them? Editor: It resists the overly ornamental. With simple blue strokes that do not confine her. It gives me the feeling she wants to flee, wants to exist in the infinite empty spaces around the drawing of herself. Curator: The light strokes could very well symbolize freedom of expression in a difficult period of censorship and repression. And what do you think is emphasized by his minimalistic execution? Editor: Without a full background, we focus intensely on her. This directs our focus towards line and form; you notice the details more intimately. We feel invited into a private contemplation of a simple face on white. Curator: So, while aesthetically restrained, the portrait, within the cultural and social context, acquires greater resonance. Editor: I agree. Seeing beyond the gentle blue and delicate line is powerful when we look deeper at it all.