The second of November 2015

Gazmend Freitag made this drawing, titled The second of November, using graphite on paper. Here, the artist has employed humble materials, graphite and paper, to evoke a historical scene. The rawness of the graphite imbues the artwork with a sense of immediacy, as if capturing a fleeting moment in time. You can see the artist's process in the visible strokes and smudges. The sketched lines reveal the artist's hand at work. The monochromatic palette further emphasizes the drawing's documentary quality. The rough texture of the paper adds depth to the overall composition. Freitag engages with traditional drawing techniques, yet his approach is direct and unpretentious. The drawing is a window into a specific time and place. The artist makes visible the amount of labor involved in the production. Thinking about the material qualities and the making-process encourages us to reconsider conventional hierarchies between craft and fine art.