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Working on paper is significant to me, not as sketches (my sketch work is mostly words), but as stand-alone pieces. In almost all cases, my drawings share the paper with words, but never with much color. I have been constantly drawing since I could think. In 2019, I undertook the year-long project "The Daily Drawings of Alex Diamond," which featured almost daily drawings in a square format (20 x 20 cm) and was released in a small book (now out of print).
At the beginning of 2021, I embarked on another drawing project, which turned out to be much longer. Until the summer of 2024, I created a vast number of rough works, always on A4 paper, using fountain pens and permanent ink, alternating be-tween the colors black and mountain blue. The result is what you are holding in your hand right now -500 drawings later, with the final ten starting to blend into red ink.These drawings represent what comes to my mind: little statements, both drawn and written. Words are important, and all these drawings reflect on our society and the messed-up issues we are confronted with. While not all of them are politically infused, many are very poetic, romantic, melancholic, and smooth, like a 1950s Miles Davis composition. However, most are edgy and often uncomfortable, reminiscent of Mingus or Coleman. When they go off the rails, the soundtrack shifts to Mr. Bungle, Mike Patton, Tomahawk, the Melvins, or much of John Zorn's work. Because you know, in my opinion, a good drawing should always strive to be like a great song.
(Alex Diamond, October 2024)
