Drawing is frequently considered the basis of all visual arts. Vasari states, “Drawing… represent the necessary beginning of everything [in art], and not having it, one has nothing.” Old Masters drawings by Michelangelo, Raphael and da Vinci were considered “studies” for a final painted work. Today all that has changed, drawings currently exist within the artworld as more than a means to the end, but for many artists has become the ends itself. The popularity of Contemporary drawings is increasing and no longer are they treated as less valuable artworks than paintings. Currently, there seems to be a renaissance for them among artists and art enthusiasts both.
What does contemporary drawing look like today? This show will address what it implies to be a contemporary artist as well as provide an overview of contemporary drawing. The State of Contemporary Drawing will examine the art of contemporary drawing by artist selected from a national juried pool of submissions. Traditionally drawing was considered the technique of producing images on a surface, usually paper, by means of marks, usually ink, graphite, chalk, charcoal, or crayon. But over the last couple of decades, artist have constantly pushed the boundaries of what drawing can mean and be, redefining drawing. Drawings currently don’t merely consist of the previous mentioned methods, but have seen processes like burning, cutting scratching, sticking, writing, and sewing. Materials such as wax, and metals have even been used. These works blur the boundaries between drawing and other mediums of art. Contemporary artists are using drawings to address questions of identity, place, time and memory, protest, power, and systems.