Notes on the work

I draw self-portraits. In my drawings, the process of creation is important to the ultimate power of expression. I work simultaneously for several days, and at various times, on different drawings. This working method offers scope for reflection and makes tangible the creative span of time. In my drawings, I seek abstraction rather than resemblance. The lines in (coloured) pencil and chalk vary from thick to thin, are sometimes tentative, sometimes resolute. There are lines that refer to physiognomy and there are lines that react to other lines with apparent autonomy. Important ingredients in my work are the equilibrium between abstraction and figuration and between noting and stopping.

Arjan van Es