Silent Series: Silent Presence (Silent States Trio)

“Silent Presence” depicts a solitary human silhouette engulfed in swirling shadows and light. The faceless figure stands against a glowing halo, embodying mystery and the paradox of presence through absence. The painting explores existence in its quietest form — where silence itself becomes a subject, and absence radiates power.

Art Technique: Liquid charcoal in layered washes to build depth and tone. Use of a wet brush to lift charcoal, creating luminous white areas and enhancing contrast. Controlled chiaroscuro with limited tonal range (3–4 values) to achieve dramatic visual impact.

Medium/Material: Charcoal on Winsor & Newton acid-free 220gsm paper.

Production Year: 2025.

Artist Statement:

In my charcoal work, I seek to investigate form through light and absence. Shadows are not just the lack of light but active presences—brooding, shaping, defining. Charcoal offers me a vocabulary of both control and spontaneity. I use vine charcoal for initial gestural lines, then compressed charcoal to build up dense layers and dramatic blacks. I exploit smudging and erasure to reveal, hide, and distort. The paper surface plays a critical role—its texture becomes part of the composition; tooth, weight, and grain all influence how charcoal responds. I intend to make the viewer’s eye move across expanses of value, noticing the shifts between deep blacks, mid-tones, and glimmers of untouched paper. My work aspires to invite reflection: on what is absent as much as what is present; to challenge our expectations of clarity, of edges; to allow space for ambiguity. I want the viewer to linger in the in-between: between light and dark, clarity and blur, seen and unseen.