Jack # Cathy Eddowes 2001

Julie Roberts made this drawing, Jack # Cathy Eddowes, using graphite on paper. I’m thinking about Julie Roberts and her focus on representations of the female body, particularly in relation to medical or institutional contexts, and this figure looks pretty vulnerable to me. Roberts builds up tone with graphite creating a haunting image of a woman. The way she articulates her subject’s skin and its imperfections or disruptions, such as scars and wounds, is so delicately rendered. She also uses graphic, linear elements, like a medical illustration. I wonder how she navigates the balance between clinical detachment and emotional investment. The artist is not afraid to embrace ambiguity, leaving space for the viewer to interpret the image through their own personal lens. We, as the audience, bring our own experiences, memories, and associations to the work, and that enriches the viewing experience.