Erica 

Editor: Alfred Conteh’s drawing titled "Erica," showcases a strong, pensive figure rendered in graphite. The turquoise background really makes the braids and those incredible hoop earrings pop! What story do you think this piece is trying to tell? Curator: It’s got this wonderful sense of…familiarity, right? It's more than just a drawing; it feels like a conversation. Conteh’s portraiture often elevates everyday Black folks to icons. Look at the care he takes rendering her braids – each one a tiny sculpture! Do you notice the inscription on her hoop earring? Editor: Yes! It says "Sexy". It’s a bold statement. Curator: It is! But it's more than a statement of self-love; it is defiant! These works aren’t really *about* beauty; they are about agency, about who defines that beauty. And I bet it has a story! A memory or even a poem swirling behind those eyes! And this graphite technique against the backdrop? It gives it that raw edge. What does it evoke in you? Editor: The muted palette almost makes it feel like an old photograph, but those earrings, the turquoise background and her hairstyle ground it in contemporary culture. It’s a really interesting juxtaposition. Curator: Absolutely. I'm thinking how the artist offers an intimacy – like the subject has a story and she is looking at you, and the only thing left is for the listener to write what is going on inside that gaze and what she has been thinking! Editor: That is really perceptive and an original way to see the drawing! It really brings so much meaning to the art. Thank you so much.