Composition #9 Drawing

b.1964, Nigeria. Currently drawing in the United States. Much of my recent work explores drawing as an independent genre that is not a support for my painting. Ideas are expressed as directly as possible in simple black or white lines on negative spaces. Color in this case is used when needed to support the drawing. I am fascinated by graphic and writing systems from ancient African cultures and I am also engaged in creating contemporary aesthetics out of that idea. To this end, my current drawing project attempts to deconstruct these graphic symbols and signs. Symbols are recomposed and executed on large surfaces, using pastel and graphite on paper. The goal is to explore these signs, not necessarily for their intended meanings, but for their visual aesthetics as abstract forms. -Victor Ekpuk