Formal Gathering, No. 1

Formal Gathering, No. 1 builds on the visual language of the previous series, retaining the flat, even, textured application of powdered charcoal on white paper while shifting to a landscape orientation. In this work, the composition is freed from the strict grid system, allowing shapes to be arranged more intuitively. Straight lines meet curves, expanding the vocabulary beyond triangles and rectangles while maintaining a simple, geometric character.

The silhouettes draw from varied sources — brutalist and fascist architecture, tribal masks of Pacific Islanders seen at the Yale Peabody Museum, and the ceremonial profiles of Roman Catholic clergy in their towering hats. Each of these references carries monumental and ceremonial associations, their strong, reductive shapes lending themselves to minimalism while embodying a sense of purpose and presence. The title hints at both the careful compositional arrangement of these forms and their anthropomorphic presence — a congregation of abstract figures in a quiet, ceremonial assembly.