Year: 2023

Medium: Charcoal on Bristol Paper
Dimensions: 16 × 20 in
Series: Echoes of Human Connection

Overview

Between Us (N’etiti Anyi) is a charcoal drawing that explores quiet forms of connection formed through proximity, responsibility, and shared presence. The work focuses on relationships that are not defined by dialogue or overt gesture, but by closeness and mutual awareness.

Conceptual Description

The drawing depicts two children standing closely together in a moment that feels ordinary yet emotionally charged. Their connection is expressed through subtle physical cues, the way one body leans into the other, the way space is shared rather than claimed. There is no dramatic action taking place. The strength of the image lies in what is held between them.

The older child appears aware of responsibility, while the younger one occupies a position of trust. This dynamic reflects experiences common within many West African communities, where children often assume roles of care and protection early in life. These roles are not assigned through instruction, but learned through necessity and observation.

The small green-white-green facial mark acts as a quiet cultural anchor. It situates the work within a specific context without overt symbolism, allowing cultural memory to exist alongside emotional universality.

Charcoal is used with restraint, building form through gradual tonal layering and careful observation. The softness of the medium supports the intimacy of the scene, allowing emotion to surface without exaggeration.

Curatorial Context

Between Us positions connection as something that develops quietly, often without language. The work highlights the emotional intelligence embedded in early relationships, where care, responsibility, and endurance are learned before they are named.

Rather than presenting childhood as innocence alone, the drawing acknowledges the weight children sometimes carry and the strength formed through shared presence. The stillness of the figures invites viewers to slow down and recognise the depth within ordinary moments.

Key Themes

childhood responsibility
quiet connection
shared presence
cultural memory
emotional closeness

Artist’s Note

This drawing was informed by scenes I witnessed growing up, moments where children stood in for one another through instinct rather than instruction. I was interested in how connection forms quietly, through proximity and shared experience, and how those early bonds shape emotional understanding long before adulthood.