Viewing Tender pencil portraits of Black men by Curtis Holder capture intimate moments 

Rising star Curtis Holder – former winner of the Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Year – unveiled a large new body of work at Guildford House Gallery this week. Portraits of Brotherhood features Holder’s multi-layered pencil portraits that seek to capture intimate moments in the lives of his subjects, delving into their shared history and experiences.

Each artwork is born from personal conversations between the artist and his subjects, who come from all works of life, and are all Black men. Presented together they explore the multifaceted nature of identity and contemporary masculinity, in contrast with pervasive societal stereotypes that often negatively impact Black men.

Art historian Kathleen Soriano sees Holder as “a bright, pulsing light. He brings a freshness and there’s something really new and exciting about what he’s producing.” We agree – watch this space for Holder’s work at The Wick soon.