Madeline Berberian Hutchinson
Olivia and I, 2023
Charcoal and Graphite on Paper

Olivia and I have become inseparable. Our friendship offers deep knowingness of the other. It feels like I have spent the entirety of our friendship trying to put the sincerity of our connection into words, but that task has rendered itself impossible. Instead, I decided to materialize my feelings into this drawing.

The drawing is based on a candid photograph shot by Muna Faruqi, another artist highlighted in this exhibition. I utilized the dark, rough lines of the graphite to accentuate our features, resulting in a high-contrast composition. We face each other, eyes closed with assured bliss. We share space and time without any fears of judgment. We can just be. There is no “deeper meaning” to this piece- its purely about my devotion to my best friend.

I am grateful for the support of my friends at Stuy who enable me to be authentically seen. I also genuinely appreciate the Creative Microgrant for supporting my vision to be shown.