Barbara Heim 2015

Gazmend Freitag drew Barbara Heim, sometime around 2015, using graphite or charcoal on paper. What strikes me most is the energy in the face. See how the strokes around her hair aren’t just outlines but seem to radiate outwards, like thoughts escaping her head. I can imagine Freitag, leaning in close, squinting, trying to catch not just Barbara’s likeness but something deeper, something about her essence. Look at the subtle shading under her cheekbones, the way her eyes seem to hold a mix of curiosity and wisdom. Maybe Freitag was thinking about the fleeting nature of beauty, the way a portrait can capture a moment in time, a single breath in a long life. It reminds me a little of some of Alice Neel’s portraits, that same raw, honest energy. The red signature at the bottom feels almost like a heartbeat.