Tanya Leighton, Berlin is pleased to present ‘Works on Paper’, a duo exhibition featuring the recent and revisited drawings of Brian DeGraw and Maia Naveriani. This presentation shows the unique approaches each artist takes to drawing, highlighting their perspectives on portraiture, narrative, and the medium of paper itself.

DeGraw’s selection of drawings spans both recent creations and older works that have been reimagined for this exhibition. In his portraiture, DeGraw focuses on capturing subjects that resonate with deep spiritual and physical qualities, from fellow artists and musicians to animals, which he considers sacred bridges to the divine. For DeGraw, the identities of the subjects are significant, though not for the sake of recognition by the viewer. Instead, his choice of who to draw is a personal journey, seeking sincerity and depth in the faces and figures he portrays. His work resists being confined to a particular style, inspired by his background in improvised music. This fluidity, and his refusal to adhere to a single artistic ‘look’, reflects his stance against the predictability and constraints he associates with capitalist-driven art production.

Naveriani’s approach to drawing is rooted in technical precision and psychological intensity. Her works, including Fool Me Me Me and This Story is No Longer Available, are part of her ongoing series that examines and destabilises sociocultural, political, and gender norms. Her large-scale drawings on paper demand both physical and mental rigour, with each pencil mark contributing to an evolving narrative that unfolds intuitively. Naveriani’s works are a delicate balance of fragility and permanence, as she layers spontaneous decisions onto the paper, creating images that challenge rigid notions of truth. The translucent and luminous colours she instinctively employs seem to dissolve the weight of these established ideas, opening the door to more abstract and fluid inquiries.

‘Works on Paper’ invites viewers to explore the personal and collective threads that connect these two artists, while celebrating the freedom and complexities inherent in drawing as a medium.