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Safety and Cruelty - two disappearing drawings 
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Safety


This is a drawing after a Madonna by Hans Baldung Grien (you can see an image of the original here). Like Self While Drawing I did it first on tracing paper, then mounted the tracing paper on canvas with clear gesso, sanded it down, covered it in white gesso, sanded it down again, retraced some of the lines, covered it in white gesso, sanded it down etc. multiple times. The result is maybe the softest picture I have ever made. Here is another image, which looks less like the object in real life, but shows more of the drawing in it:



Holding it in your hands in real life the drawing is actually quite clear, but the way it is sunk into the surface by this lengthy procedure seems to mostly hide it from camera and scanner. As an object, it feels a lot like an alabaster or ivory panel.

 

Cruelty


This drawing is based on an anonymous crucifixion from the 15th century in the Frankfurt Städel Museum. Both stem from my fascination with how different forms of bodycontact have been portrayed throughout the history of art - the almost unbearable tenderness above, and the harsh cruelty below. After all, every crucifixion is a torture scene. Often, I find the figures besides Jesus more interesting, the penitent and impenitent thief, both usually shown to be hung in a much more extreme and deranged way than Jesus (in this case, it is the impenitent thief, whose soul is just being snatched away by a devil). 



The process of making this was the same as in the drawing on top. Again, here another image that looks less like the object in real life but shows the drawing and structure of the surface more clearly:

They are € 50 each, and 13cm x 18cm (Safety) and 18cm x 13cm (Cruelty) respectively.

And herewith endeth the sale. Thank you for looking and reading!

Oona Leganovic
Copyright © 2017 play in progress, All rights reserved.


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