Original artwork description:

The project “Don't Touch The Angels!” started as a creative accident in the Oncology department. Children were often too tired to actively participate in evening art workshops. Instead they were asked to engage in the art process in a passive way as models. Being a portrait model in the way of quiet observation required the utmost luxury of time. Treatments in the hospital were long and exhausting so everyone was forced to slow down.
The experience of model-artists relationship can be linked to the ancient tantric practice of eye gazing, which can be transformed into 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 (in cases of of illness or old age, for example). It serves as a tangible proof of person's outer and inner beauty because it is perceived and captured on paper. The long and painstaking painting process itself serves as proof of worthiness of a model: people in doubt receive an evidence of their value as human beings. “Do you see what I see?” I ask, while the model ponders at the drawing.
This portrait is dedicated to a silent boy who didn't utter a single word during our portrait sitting. He had no objections against adding bats and skulls to his portrait, he just “didn't care at all”.
It is painted on 300 g/m² Arches watercolor paper and not framed.

Materials used:

Watercolor, ink and pastel on paper

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