K. G. SUBRAMANYAN (1924-2016)

PORTRAIT PROFILE
FELT-TIP MARKER ON PAPER

A COMPELLING FIGURATIVE DRAWING BY K. G. SUBRAMANYAN (1924-2016), EXECUTED IN FELT-TIP MARKER ON PAPER. CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ARTIST'S HIGHLY EXPRESSIVE AND ECONOMICAL DRAWING LANGUAGE, THE WORK DEPICTS A LEFT-FACING PORTRAIT PROFILE, CAPTURED THROUGH SWIFT, FLUID AND GESTURAL LINEWORK.

SUBRAMANYAN DEFINES THE SUBJECT WITH IMMEDIATE, CONFIDENT MARKER STROKES, CREATING A REMARKABLE SENSE OF RHYTHM, MOVEMENT AND SPONTANEITY. THE BOLD CONTINUOUS OUTLINE OF THE FACE CONTRASTS WITH THE LOOSE, OVERLAPPING MARK-MAKING OF THE HAIR, WHILE THE ANIMATED EYE, DISTINCTIVE PROFILE AND OPEN MOUTH LEND THE FIGURE A STRIKING SENSE OF PRESENCE AND VOCAL ENERGY.

WITH ITS RAW, IMPROVISATIONAL QUALITY AND MINIMAL USE OF MEANS, THE DRAWING EXEMPLIFIES SUBRAMANYAN'S ABILITY TO TRANSFORM SIMPLE LINE INTO CHARACTER, VOLUME AND EXPRESSION. THE WORK REFLECTS THE ARTIST'S ENDURING INTEREST IN FIGURATION, PERFORMANCE AND THE IMMEDIACY OF THE DRAWING PROCESS.