What is a drawing?

New Zealand artist Kirsty Lillico recently won the annual Parkin Drawing Prize, which netted her $20,000. The question her win has raised is, was her piece, titled "State Block," actually a drawing? It consisted of pieces of carpet draped over string.

Lillico said, "Drawing, to me, it's not just about a pencil and paper. I'm using a knife and carpet and hanging it in a space to achieve the same ends."

The prize's patron, Chris Parkin, admits that the piece stretches the definition of a drawing, but he notes it was "still lines, at the end of the day... somebody has taken a knife, and started a line and taken it for a walk."

More info: stuff.co.nz

"State Block"

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Posted By: Alex - Wed Aug 02, 2017
Category: Art

Comments

Wow, twenty thousand for a bunch of carpet scraps. But it's not a drawing as defined:

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drawing

But then most artistes aren't known for their academic prowess. Perhaps a dictionary would have been a more fitting award.

Posted by KDP on 08/02/17 at 08:02 AM

Definitely is one of the pieces that needs to have a sign at night, so the janitor will know to not throw it out with the other rubbish.

Posted by Virtual on 08/02/17 at 10:39 AM

She has a sharp knife, a strong arm, and a distorted sense of reality. Who's going to argue with her?

Posted by Phideaux on 08/02/17 at 10:57 AM

Thanks for the Webster definition; I hope the Parkin Drawing Price judges read it. I still wonder how this sculpture won a price over there.

Posted by Yudith on 08/06/17 at 06:53 AM

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