A raw, expressive portrait by Sedrick Huckaby, featuring gestural graphite-style marks and integrated text that explores themes of memory and identity.

Sedrick Huckaby is known for his focus on family, community, and the human condition. This work, part of his 99% series, features a portrait of Mary, a subject who appears frequently in his oeuvre. The drawing style is immediate and raw, utilising heavy, gestural graphite marks to define the contours of the face. The lines are not merely descriptive, they convey the weight of experience and the passage of time etched into the subject's features.

The composition includes a smaller, secondary portrait positioned above the main figure, suggesting a framed photograph or a memory suspended in the space behind her. This layering adds a narrative dimension to the piece, inviting the viewer to consider the history and personal context of the individual depicted. The inclusion of handwritten text across the lower portion of the print integrates the subject's own voice or a reflection on her character directly into the visual field. This technique bridges the gap between the visual arts and oral history, a common thread in Huckaby's practice.

The monochromatic palette focuses attention on the texture of the marks and the emotional gravity of the expression. By stripping away colour, the artist directs the viewer to the physicality of the medium and the intensity of the gaze. The work avoids idealisation, opting instead for a direct, honest representation that prioritises the humanity of the sitter. This print captures a moment of quiet contemplation, rendered with a technical confidence that balances spontaneity with structural clarity. It is a study of presence, memory, and the specificities of individual identity within a broader social framework.