In these two drawings, Jorge Vieira approaches the theme of the human figure, through the representation of two imaginary heads characterized by a playful game of shapes that echoes a surrealist heritage. In the 1978 drawing, one can observe the exploration of metamorphosis and transfiguration, through the replacement of the distinctive marks of the face (the mouth, the nose, the ears) by the representation of eyes. The repetition of this element gives a new meaning and bodily identity to the face. In turn, the 1981 drawing is marked by the displacement of the head in the direction of the vertical axis, creating an asymmetry in which, however, the elements find some points of contact and continuity: the hairline on the left extends to the right eyebrow; the left nostril forms a subtle relationship of symmetry with the contour of the lip on the right side. Although the idea of shifting and breaking the symmetry of the forms tends to create ambiguities and cancel out the uniqueness, the composition of the whole stays surprisingly balanced.

In formal terms, the two drawings share some characteristics: the reduction of the composition to the basic components; their structuring from fine and secure lines that define the outline and the discreet but expressive volumetric modelling of the form; and the general scheme, composed of the conical section of the base that constitutes the neck, on which rests the more or less ovoid form of each head.

In symbolic terms, both drawings evidence the anonymity and impassivity of the faces. Apparently, this factor eliminates any psychological impact in the represented subject, transferring it to the observer.

JB