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SEARCH GREY OFFICE

DRAWING: This Too Shall Pass

Walking down the hall one afternoon, there was a moment I observed in which two men were standing on opposite sides of an opening.  Both men were leaning casually against the wall and both on cellular phones, deeply engaged in separate conversations, forming an ad hoc symmetry.  

My pathway to the office required me to pass between these individuals who stood like the Gates of Argonath, or with less erotic suspense, the gateway by Maria Abromovic.  

References aside, there was a palpable tension that stretched between these individuals; their digital connection to the outside, and framing of the hallway suggested that an invisible, but palpable tension stretched across the void.  

The drawings here are studies for an ongoing piece on the subject.  Titled, 'This too shall pass', the drawing examines the condition posed by these workers.  It looks to classical moments in architecture such as the caryatid, where figures frame and entry.  Within this framework, the drawing places a cellular phone, which is one of the most temporal items in contemporary culture.

The ubiquity of phones today guarantees nothing in terms of longevity.  Within a decade, perhaps two, the mobile phone as we know it is as likely to be a relic, consecrated to memory, much like dial up modems have become.







Figures are attenuated in a classical nude character.   Both characters are male, and recline slightly against the edge of the portal.


In the observed event, the portal was a hallway, ten feet wide, and unarticulated by molding or framing.  Replicating these conditions was not necessary for the piece, but finding the best proportion for the portal is important.  The sketch above illustrates several permutations of the portal.





All of the drawings above this line were done on an iPhone, using the sketch tool.  
Additional drawings below were done with analog tools (pencil, pen).