Charcoal on paper, 5 × 4 ft
Two young men in a public bath space.
Being rinsed by water has always been a mesmerizing, symbolic action for me. It’s a way of self-reflection, redemption, and rebirth.
When I was creating the sketch version, I was drawn to the space and the men’s gestures. They really resonate with me for reasons I can’t articulate well. It’s a public shower space for people who can’t, and don’t even, have a shower space where they live. And my hometown has many similar places like this. With the two young men’s backs against us, I wanted to create a sense of isolation and vulnerability.