Nandy Chan
Pendle Hill High School
FLAWED INSECURITY
Drawing
The perception of self is commonly associated with insecurity and our individual flaws. We often do not recognise our own weaknesses, and that the emotion that grips our minds is fear. This emotion hinders our perception of ourselves and destroys our inner peace. Incorporating self-portraits into my body of work confronted my own insecurity, exposing perceived flaws and imperfections in my appearance. By using chiaroscuro – contrasting tones of light and dark with the black background – my intent is to create a confronting space of vulnerability and sensitivity to fear, imperfection and anxiety for subjective interpretation.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Jono Dry, Rembrandt van Rijn, Caravaggio, Johannes Vermeer.
Marker's Commentary
Flawed Insecurity is an accomplished suite of drawings executed through an exquisitely sensitive use of charcoal media and exemplary technical skills. The images are an accomplished exploration of the subject’s self-doubt within the convention of realism. The surfaces are confidently executed allowing the figure to emerge from the darkness with areas of smooth tonal modulation combined with delicately rendered features that effectively communicate the heightened psychological states she is experiencing. Ideas of self-doubt and insecurity are investigated through contrasting the power of the gaze which confronts the audience, strategically hiding and concealing the individuals perceived anxiety and physical flaws. This successful submission demonstrates outstanding technical proficiency in a series of drawings that are visually arresting and invite intimate, reflective introspection.