Christian Jelk

An architect by training, drawing has become the new territory of his thoughts while engraving reveals its meaning by bringing the matrix to light.

Drawing requires a lot of discipline and precision. Engraving came about as a way of bringing more spontaneity and freedom to his work. It naturally sprang out of drawing in a joint search for light. Drawing is like a scar and engraving its imprint.

Christian Jelk uses pictures of women from fashion magazines to create his engravings. He gives substance to the smooth and ghostly bodies by sticking sellotape of various colour, size and texture on the matrix, recreating the void; then he covers it in black ink or soot. The unveiled imprint emerges, almost like a spiritual revelation.