Ibrahim Rugova 2013

Editor: So here we have Gazmend Freitag’s 2013 pencil drawing of Ibrahim Rugova. It feels almost like a study, capturing a likeness, but with an incredible sensitivity, like you could feel the artist’s presence through each line. What do you make of it? Curator: It does feel very intimate, doesn’t it? There's a directness to it. Knowing that Ibrahim Rugova was a key figure in Kosovo’s independence movement… Well, suddenly this drawing whispers of something bigger than just a portrait. What do you feel when you look at his eyes, for example? Editor: A certain gentleness, maybe a world-weariness? He seems to be holding a lot within that gaze. Is it just me, or is there a hint of… nostalgia, perhaps? Curator: Nostalgia's a great word for it. Perhaps Freitag, through the very act of sketching, wanted to capture a memory, to hold onto something of Rugova’s presence. Notice how the lines are not overly polished? It reminds me that memory is imperfect; it’s beautiful but slightly blurred around the edges. Editor: I see what you mean! It almost makes it feel more real than a photograph. I hadn't considered the link between artistic process and memory before in this context. Curator: And think about the simple medium, just pencil on paper. It democratizes the image. It's accessible, immediate – almost like Freitag wanted to say, “Here he is, human, remembered.” Do you think the artist made smart use of the values and contrast here? Editor: Yes! It has an elegance from how simple and spare the pencil strokes are; Freitag manages to achieve such great depth despite his medium. I definitely agree with that accessibility: It reminds me to just pick up a pencil and record the world! Curator: Precisely. A humble reminder of art’s potential to capture not just likeness, but legacy, you know? And a bit of the artist's heart as well.