Nicol Cheung analyses Rachel Whiteread

1) INTRODUCE THE DRAWING IN GENERAL TERMS
•What is the title of the drawing? Stairs

•What is the name of the artist? Rachel Whiteread

•What is the year the drawing was done? 2003

•What is the medium? Photo collage, gouache and pencil on paper

•What is the subject matter or general theme of the work?
 The artist herself describes it as her diary. Though it could also be seen as a study of stairs

•Does the drawing have a particular purpose? 
 The artist did some other paintings in similar style. She describes them as a product of her thinking  process. The artworks are described as diaries of the artist. The purpose is to denote what the artist  thought at a particular time.


2) DESCRIBE THE DRAWING IN DETAIL
•How is line used? 
 Narrow straight lines drawn by pencil interweaves densely across the paper. These geometric lines  crosses the paper in different directions and intersects near the center of the paper.

•How is tone used? 
 Black pencil lines on white square make up the background while the subject - a realistic coloured  photo collage of  a pair of wooden stairs provides contrast with the monotone background.

•What can you say about shape and/or form in this picture? 
 The picture is nearly entirely composed of straight lines. The pencil lines, along with the pair of stairs  create a very geometrical feel. 

•Is texture a feature of the drawing? 
 The photo collage in the center of the picture certainly has a different texture than the rest. However  textural differences do not seem to be the emphasis in this artwork.

•What can you say about the composition of the drawing? What is the effect of this type of  composition on the overall drawing? 

 As stated before, the picture is nearly entirely composed with straight lines. This creates a very  geometric and perhaps Constructivist style. Just as the picture is named Stairs, the pair of stairs are  the main subject in the picture. The subject is emphasized by various means. Firstly the pencil lines  intersects around the subject. Secondly the artist utilizes contrast of texture and tone to bring out the  pair of stairs. Also while the 'background', referring to the pencil lines and the white squary void, feels  two-dimensional, the photo of the pair of stairs in the center (as it is a photo) includes many three-  dimensional features such as highlights, shadows and perspective. The overall effect is an  emphasis on the subject.

•Is rhythm important in this picture? 
 The dense disciplined network of pencil lines creates a rhythmic flow across the paper which leads  to the center subject of the pair of stairs.

•Is the picture balanced? 
 Yes. The most noticeable feature is the positioning of the main subject - at the center of the picture.  Also the dense network of straight lines is balanced by vast areas of white void.This arrangement  creates a balance in space. and composition. 

•Is perspective used in the picture? If so, describe the way that the illusion of three-  dimensional space has been created. 
 Yes. Perspective is used in the subject, the photo of a pair of stairs, in the center of the picture. The  pair of stairs are actually made up of a photo of a flight of stairs juxtaposed with its inverted  duplication. Due to the special arrangement, The perspective of this pair of stairs does not match  with daily life observations. 

•Is the picture harmonious?
 I don't find the picture harmonious. There is a contrast between the monotone lines and the photo.  Also the dense network of pencil lines consist of lines sprawling across the picture in various (three,  mainly) directions. However in the cases of the horizontally-sprawling lines especially, they intersect  in a rather dissonant manner. Also the white background is slightly tilted, which also adds to the  dissonance of the picture. To me, the overall effect is the picture being dissonant rather  than  harmonious.

•Are there any strong contrasts in the picture? 
 Yes. Contrast of colour (Monotone vs Colour), contrast between two-dimensional lines and three-  dimensional photo.


3) INTERPRETATION AND EVALUATION
•What is the mood of the drawing?
 I don't sense a particular mood in this picture. However I think the picture reminds me of the  industrial, scientific atmosphere of a factory. Such suggestions are far from happiness. The picture's pronounced industrialist style even creates a slightly eerie mood.

•What does the drawing express? 
 The artist described this picture as more of her diary than a  study. As Racel Whiteread has always  been interested in stairs, this may be a reflection of what she  felt about stairs. Perhaps the drawing  expresses the artist's impression of geometry or that of disciplined, linear subjects.

•In your opinion, why is this work interesting/moving/ clever/ imaginative/thought-provoking/......?  Choose the adjective(s) that best fit(s) the work, and then justify your conclusions by referring to specific features and qualities of the drawing (including those you have discussed above).

I find it interesting in the way it feels starkly industrial to me from the very first moment I looked at it. In other words, I think the painting successfully conveyed the features of stairs. It is also quite clever in the way different contrasting elements are used subtly in the picture. The composition, seemingly random, actually also helps highlighting the subject and creating the atmosphere. The way a very three-dimensional subject is placed on a two-dimensional background reminds me slightly of the Russian Constructivism art. I would describe the picture as 'industrial', 'geometric', 'angular' and 'disciplined'.