SHORT DESCRIPTION

This charcoal drawing, measuring 42 x 29,7 cm, is a bespoke portrait commissioned by Mafalda Carvalho and created through a live model drawing session. the work engages with lines of identity and the human form, using drawing as a direct and attentive practice of observation and presence.

Charcoal is employed for its immediacy and sensitivity. each mark responds to posture, gesture, and subtle shifts in energy, allowing the portrait to emerge through rhythm rather than refinement. the drawing does not aim to idealise, instead it preserves the authenticity of the moment, where form is shaped by movement, pause, and breath.

As a commissioned artwork, the live session is central to the process. shared time and focused attention inform the final image, embedding the drawing with traces of encounter that cannot be replicated through secondary references. moments of reinforcement, erasure, and variation in pressure remain visible, honouring the honesty of the act of drawing.

Within the framework of bespoke portraiture, Mafalda Carvalho is represented as a singular presence rather than a static likeness. Identity is articulated through the density, interruption, and flow of line, allowing the human form to function as a site of recognition and quiet expression.

This drawing stands as a personal and unique artwork, reflecting the value of commissioned pieces grounded in lived experience. It frames portraiture as a collaborative process, where drawing becomes an act of listening, and where identity is revealed through line, time, and attentive observation.