What is vulnerability in art?

Vulnerability in art refers to the expression of raw emotions and personal experiences through creative works. It involves being open and honest about one's feelings, fears, and weaknesses, creating a deeper connection with the viewer. In the context of the article, vulnerability is expressed through a black ink drawing that captures the artist's emotions during the COVID lockdown.

How can I express vulnerability through art?

To express vulnerability through art, try using monochromatic colours, such as black and white, to strip away distractions and focus on emotion. Use simple, raw lines and shapes to convey your feelings, and don't be afraid to show your fragility. Remember, vulnerability is not about weakness, but about being real and human. You can also explore different mediums, like drawing, painting, or photography, to find what works best for you.

What is the significance of the black and white drawing in the article?

The black and white drawing in the article is significant because it represents the artist's vulnerability and raw emotions. The use of black and white eliminates distractions, bringing the viewer's attention to the emotional depth of the piece. It's a deliberate choice that allows the viewer to focus on the artist's feelings and connect with them on a deeper level.

How to Express Vulnerability Through Art

November 13, 2023

A black ink drawing that embodies vulnerability, created during the COVID lockdown, and invites the viewer to connect, reflect, and feel.

Ink doesn’t forgive. There’s no layer of paint to sit over a shaky line, no eraser, nothing you can add afterward to soften a mistake. Whatever the pen does, it does in front of everyone. That’s the first vulnerability in this work, mine, before the subject even gets a look in.

So when I want to draw something vulnerable, I don’t reach for a gentle subject. A vulnerable drawing that plays it safe isn’t really vulnerable at all.

The rat that wouldn’t stay quiet

“I Cry” started with one line I couldn’t soften, the rat’s mouth open mid-wail. Everything else on the page bends around that single gesture. Rats rarely get this kind of attention. They’re the animal everyone assumes is fine, common, resilient, easy to ignore. Putting a wailing rat in the Endangered Animals series isn’t a claim about the species. It’s a question I wanted to sit with while I drew: what happens if we look at the animals we’re taught to overlook the same way we look at the ones we’re told to grieve for. The wide-open mouth doesn’t ask for sympathy. It states the fact of distress and leaves you to sit with it.

That’s what a vulnerable drawing actually looks like, in my hands at least. Not a soft subject. An honest one.

Original price was: $110.00.Current price is: $69.00.

Vulnerable-covid

28cm x 25cm

About This PieceVulnerable begins with a single standing form on an empty sheet of paper, its shoulders slight, its legs thinned to littl...

Looking at what usually looks away

“Do You See Me” turns the same idea toward a Tasmanian Devil, an animal that spends most of its life avoiding people entirely, caught mid-headlight or not caught at all. Facial tumour disease has cut wild numbers by more than 80 per cent since the 1990s. For this one, I turned the devil to face forward, eyes locked on whoever’s looking at it, instead of fleeing into the dark the way the rest of the Nocturnal Collection does. All proceeds from that piece went to WIRES. Owning it means holding a small, deliberate reminder that this animal’s future isn’t guaranteed.

Six years drawing at Walt Disney Animation Australia taught me how to move a line fast and with confidence. It didn’t teach me to hide behind that confidence. If anything, the opposite, a fearless stroke has nowhere to hide a hesitant one. I’ve been drawing since 1988, and the pieces that still feel risky to make are the ones people remember.

Where to see more

The Endangered Animals series and the black and white drawings sit in the shop for browsing, and if there’s a particular animal, person or moment you’d want handled the same way, commissions start from $500 and every one begins with a conversation about what you actually want to keep.