The naughty girl

To conclude my Art Arcadia lockdown residency I’d like to share an image of my last drawing, ‘The naughty girl’.

The imagery that informs my work comes mainly from the observation of my surroundings. Usually the characters in my paintings and drawings are people I see in the street. During the last period, the lack of social interaction limited these opportunities. As a result my attention has sharpened, focusing on the few figures I come across. The queue outside our local grocery shop has become an ideal stage for inspiration.

The naughty girl arrived one day shuffling on a pair of slippers and holding a phone in her hands. She was wearing a cheap see-through vest over a pair of jeans and t-shirt. She was around fourteen or fifteen years old. I usually see her together with her younger siblings, but this time she was alone.

She stood behind me. Suddenly, I saw the sun shining over her long hair, gliding over the translucent fabric. The sleeveless vest became a golden cloak. While everybody around, wearing their own masks, looked miserable and depressed, she started sticking out her tongue at her mobile phone. Her childlike spontaneity made me smile.

Alessandra Giacinti, The naughty girl, 2020, colouring pencils on paper, 24×33 cm