Original artwork description:

This portrait is dedicated to beautiful Raahel who wanted to be painted on a big picture. I have renamed her after an angel. She also painted a portrait of me in return.
It is painted on 300 g/m² Arches watercolor paper and not framed.
The occurrence of model - artist relationship can be linked to an ancient tantric practice of eye gazing, which can be adjusted as respectful attentiveness, benevolent contemplation of other person. The artist respects and distinguishes emotional and physical traits with admiration and care while depicting it. It can help at moments when the model feels insecure or depressed about his/her appearance. It serves as a tangible proof of person's outer and inner beauty because it is perceived and captured on paper.
Sketches are made in watercolor and pastel techniques, in in 1 – 3 sittings, each sitting can last 10 – 60 minutes, depending on model's mood and state of health. Later I recreate these sketches in elaborate, monumental watercolors. I have chosen to adapt children's personalities as angels walking on the earth. As atavistic as a notion of angel may seem in the modern world, I and my models were living in the year of war, our bordering country is an unprecedented war aggressor and our artistic meeting takes place in a hospital: a barbarian target for many a missiles only a thousand kilometers away. Since there is enough suffering on the planet already if we can conceive any idea of irrational, divine, otherworldly appeasement then it is our right to use it, as artists, models and spectators.

Materials used:

Watercolor on paper

Tags: