Collection: Charcoal Pieces

These private works are a raw and arresting collection of portraits by multidisciplinary artist Dominique Silva (aka Paperbag). Stripping away all pretense, this series delivers an unflinching exploration of the human condition through the stark, emotive power of charcoal.

Each hyper-detailed rendering pulses with life—from the deep-set wrinkles of experience to the subtle tension in a subject’s gaze. Silva’s mastery of the medium shines through in velvety blacks, smoky gradients, and precise highlights that seem to pull their subjects from the shadows into startling vulnerability. Without color or props to distract, these pieces become visceral studies of truth, each stroke exposing unspoken burdens and quiet resilience.