Duo (Drawings)

Duo (Drawings), 2017

Conte, ink, gouache, charcoal & gesso on plywood. 

Image Left: 

Halifax, Canada, 1946. 68.5cm x 91.5cm.  
Reference image source Nova Scotia Archives. "Car 126 burns in VE Day riots on May 7, 1945. From Nova Scotia Archives, Photographer Unknown." 

Image Right:

Aleppo, Syria, 2016. 68.5cm x 91.5cm
Reference image source Reuters. "Evacuation buses attacked en route to Idlib. Updated 18 Dec 2016, 10:12am. The buses were on their way to evacuate ill and injured people from the besieged Syrian villages of al-Foua and Kefraya. Reuters: Amman Abdullah."

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Duo is two drawings I made during the winter of 2016-17. The piece is two separate panels of shop-grade birch plywood, each resurfaced with layers of gesso, charcoal, conte, sanding & wash. They are shown together as one piece.  

The images have a specific spatial and temporary relationship. The left (Halifax) is from a familiar place, at a distant time; the right (Aleppo) is contemporary, in a distant place. Both images challenged my sense of empathy, and challenged my understanding of myself in relation to violence. 

I drew these images because I thought that through labouring over each, I might be able to find a better understanding of either through time spent at their intersection. Similarly, I wanted to share the way in which these images' similarity positioned and challenged my sense of self, with other people. 

According to accompanying reports no persons were killed in either of the events depicted.

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Documentation by photographer: Katherine Nakaska