Leo Whitehouse
Tempe High School
SOMEONE, SOMETHING, SOMEWHERE
Drawing
Charcoal on paper
My body of work, Someone, Something, Somewhere, examines the intersections between everyday life and the chaotic, fantastical dreamscape of the city. It explores the three fundamental subjects that define our experience of the city: people, objects and places. Referencing surrealism, I have drawn the subjects out of focus, streaky and warped, to represent the infinite number of images a person perceives in a day, focusing on some, barely seeing others out of the corner of one's eye. My work is inspired by an essential inquiry on the nature of city life: Where do we end; where does the city begin?
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Provoke magazine.
Marker's Commentary
This series of charcoal drawings is an excellent example of mastery of the drawing medium. The student has demonstrated sophistication in the curation, composition and arrangement of the images. The title Someone, Something, Somewhere lends itself to multiple interpretations, while the imagery itself is familiar yet reminiscent of side glances or the peripheral of everyday human existence and interactions. The influence and acknowledgement of Surrealism in this body of work has been utilized here to great cinematic effect.
Seen as a series, the quiet intimacy of each drawing pulls the audience in and invites them to become more intimate with these unusual, multi-layered viewpoints. The monochromatic tonal balance and use of space is highly developed in each evocative composition. The accuracy of realistic detail in these drawings is consistent throughout the work, displaying absolute confidence and subtlety in their representation of compelling moments in time.