The Space Between the Lines: David Fairbairn

David Fairbairn’s drawing process is one of dedication, involving a continuous construction and elimination of marks. Ostensibly, his long career has been concerned with portraiture, acting as a benevolent inquisitor in his pursuit of representing the essence beyond the literal representation of his subjects. He is intrigued by the physical space between his gaze and the sitter. What happens between two people in a room that allows things to be revealed, layered, and morphed into the picture plane? 

Fairbairn points to the studio sitting as an intentional act of slowing down—allowing an almost meditative process to play out that pushes the relationship beyond the superficial. The extended time—multiple sessions spent with his subjects—allows Fairbairn to engage and transcend beyond the generally perceived idea of a portrait. For his portraiture to be successful, a level of trust is required from the outset. This extends far beyond a quick photo and its literal transcription. Conversation, both verbal and nonverbal, can be a fundamental element of portraiture drawn from life. It is the conversation between the artist and sitter, and the act of looking—really looking—that underpins the strength of his image-making. 

The constant addition and subtraction of the drawn marks influences the work's structure and composition. This prolonged act—meticulously documented—gradually reveals the artist's subject. The artist notes the contemporary world is inundated with images; swiftly procured and visually dismissed even faster, destined to reside in hard drives or the cloud for eternity. Instead, he seeks to create an image that has a universality about it. We, the audience, are invited to engage with our own sensibilities and experiences; becoming, in effect, participants. 

His process is born from his early career in London; a place where the rigours and influence of the great British modernists and critics was ever present. There is a meticulousness to the methodology of these artists. Consideration and intent in the act of creation was paramount. No shortcuts were tolerated.