Slava Ukraini – 28-09-23

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Back to the Narrative

This graphite pencil drawing ‘Slava Ukraini – 28-09-23’ incorporates a narrative or theme again. Neo Deco – 20-09-23 merely knew a formalistic approach. Good enough but I think my life extents far beyond my capabilities of making pretty pictures of darling women. Of late I feel a bit discontent only depicting, interpreting, presenting and abstracting the female form. Throughout the years I have made hundreds of studies. Now I think I may have come to some kind of a standstill. Time to tell stories, don’t you think? Nina – 13-09-23 already expressed that desire.

A Beautiful Reference Picture

Then, all of a sudden I stumbled upon a beautiful picture from 1952. That’s all it said. I have no photographer’s name I can give tribute to. Anyway, I found it particularly beautiful. It shows a woman standing next to a stable with a still life on it. Heavily chiaroscuro toned, right up my alley, I’d say. However, it’s not my bag to only copy a photograph. Hence I was wondering if I could alter the theme more to my liking. In general, I find still lifes beautiful but also a tad boring. Perhaps I just don’t feel like Cézanne who proclaimed he’d surprize ‘Paris’ with an apple.

A Room with a View

Normally, I have a pretty good idea what I am going to do before the start. When it comes to creating stories, that’s different though. The cubist straight approach of the lady on the left was comparatively easy. Next came the table andthe floor skirting boards and the floor. Then, all of a sudden it hit me right between the eyes. A vision of a deserted room entered my mind. Perhaps a derelict builing in decay. A female soldier in the Ukraine, undressed with only a couple of belongings around her. Next came the association ‘a room with a view’ by Noël Coward so enter a window. The window became a mural through which a crack in the wall runs.

Fine Wines

This lead to the duplication of the table into the mural but with a bottle of ‘Krim’ from Bakhmut. Perhaps she visualizes her past or even contemplates her future. In the window of the mural there’s a traditional dancer with the typical flower tiara. That might be her. Don’t you agree it’s time for peace? Perhaps Russians can agree to that. Time to realize that young men shouldn’t fight a war initiated by old men. I want to conclude this art statement quoting John Lennon: “What if there was a war and nobody came?”.

Graphite pencil (Faber Castell Pitt Graphite Matt pencil 14B) drawing on Talens Bristol paper (21 x 29.7 x 0.1 cm)

Artist: Corné Akkers

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