The Gladstone Experience

My brother Michael and I were excited to participate in the Gladstone Hotel’s #GrowOp2020. As we set up, we felt like we were in good company with lots of talented people, Queen street is vibrant, the Gladstone is a cultural hub with a long history – a nice opportunity to show 3 months’ work.

The show itself was completely upended by the virus. It was surreal. The city was not yet on lockdown, but I found myself stepping back and away from the show’s attendees. There was never a large enough gathering to be unsafe – we had 500 attendees over the course of all four days – but there were times when even two people in the room felt like a crowd.

These are sketches I drew of my brother and of, well, not my brother, during the show.

I drew Michael at a variety of distances, including some that are very close. I never stopped feeling comfortable in the same space with him.
For everyone else, I set up three points in the corners of the room (two chairs and one square). Participants chose one and I sat, stood, or lay down, drawing them in another.

I didn’t set up an expectation of what would happen or try to draw within any other framework. I just drew until I was done (or until they gave me a one minute warning). This strange installation-drawing project forced me into some uncomfortable positions. I ended up including details in the surroundings I would normally have ignored. I drew around a wall. I drew with sculptures interfering with the portraits. I included background details I would normally exclude. I couldn’t always see the details of faces, so some of the drawings are oddly generic.

Michael

People at a Distance

Drawing in person in the days before quarantine.

A detailed pencil portrait on the left. A very nervous drawing live for City TV cameras on the right.

Standing close. I never felt uncomfortable being close to my brother. I am very pleased with these, in particular the perspective on the right.

Quite stylized. The picture on the right captures some of Michael's likeness.

On the left, there is some likeness to Michael, although his features are not accurate. On the right, neither features or likeness.

These are my first drawings of Michael at the show.

The show organizers both sat on a chair close to the window. I sat on the square opposite and drew them through the music stands holding up my brother's pieces.

Two of the show's artists. On the left @carolinadelgadodurufle who told me beautiful stories. On the right, @nsitu, who I drew with a wall between us. The line of the wall is uneven and the proportions warped but I like the piece in concept.

A simple line drawing near the end of the show and a more detailed and stylized piece of an audience member.

Three portraits. I strained with the distance. On the bottom left is a portrait of a friend who visited me during the show. It is one of the more self-conscious works I produced during this project.

On the left, a brother and sister, close to each other but strangers to me. On the right, an audience member stood up in her spot, allowing me to include one of Michael's sculptures in the piece.

On the left, an artist checks her phone. On the right, an audience member sits in on the floor. I was too self conscious drawing these, and neither captures the sitter's likeness.

On the left, a man on a date poses alone. I stood to draw this piece, which includes an outline of Michael's Oasis piece. On the right, an audience member poses facing away from me. The exercise forces me to draw more of the room so that I can include her reflection in the window.

On the left, I sat so far away that I could not make out the sitter's features. The face and eyes do not capture her likeness. On the right, the woman stood for only a short time. For quick drawings, sharpies are very, very handy.

Michael and I spoke about a feeling we had during the show. We described it to each other, this uncomfortable feeling that made everyone seem somehow more like a stranger. It felt like the hostile beginnings of xenophobia and I never want to feel it again.

Thank you to those who participated in this project. It felt good to connect to you, even at a distance.

The Gladstone Experience

The Gladstone Experience

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