Artists in Residence: Isabelle Azzam
Drawing from the quiet language of line and shadow, Isabelle Azzam is an artist devoted to the beauty found in overlooked things. At her core is a commitment to the unfinished - blending graphite's precision with deliberate restraint to create a tactile dialogue between the drawn and the imagined. By day, Isabelle is part of Incu's E-commerce team - but this season, we turn inwards, celebrating the talent that exists within our own walls.
In collaboration with adidas Originals, Isabelle is one of Incu's very own Originals, transforming our store into a living canvas through her work, Kindred. From her sketchbook to our walls, she shares what draws her to graphite as a medium, the discipline of slowing down to notice, and how a pencil becomes a bridge between the world in front of her and the one within.
Head into Incu Galeries Footwear & Accessories from Thursday July 16th - Wednesday July 29th to explore Isabelle’s artwork.
“Kindred”, Graphite pencil on paper
TELL US ABOUT THE PIECE YOU’VE CREATED
This piece depicts humanity and optimism, as inspired by a visual utopia exploring how appreciation for beauty fosters connection. Through the lens of an imagined state possessing highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities, I examine this idea within the natural world and objects of affection shared between friends. Complete in graphite pencil, this work captures various textures, reflecting an attention to detail appreciated among the Incu community. I look to explore our collective desire to elevate the mundane, reflecting beauty found in overlooked or even misunderstood subjects. Objects of beauty, freedom and connectivity are captured, altered by a state of transience, crafted by imagination.
EVERY ARTIST HAS A 'SPARK' MOMENT. LOOKING AT YOUR ROOTS AND IDENTITY, WHAT WAS THE SPECIFIC CATALYST—A MEMORY, A SUBCULTURE, OR A PERSON—THAT DREW YOU TO DRAWING AS YOUR PRIMARY VOICE?
Drawing has always helped me to express something that could otherwise never be communicated. I can enter a sort of third state, some space between what’s in my mind and what is physically present in front of me. Drawing has very easily become an extension of me - picking it up with ease throughout my day, often leaving and coming back to it when I feel like there is something I’d like to express or capture. I love the flexibility, the ability for such a broad spectrum of expression. I can either be super detailed or broadly abstract. I can create without thinking or while thinking deeply..
HOW DOES THE PHYSICAL NATURE OF YOUR MEDIUM DICTATE THE STORY YOU’RE TRYING TO TELL?
I decided to complete this work in graphite pencil, capturing the essence of a sketchbook. The idea being that a sketchbook represents a more unfiltered process of creation, often capturing everyday aspects of beauty and intrigue. A practice that can be so easily integrated with life. Created in graphite pencil, the lack of colour emphasises contrast between light and dark, isolating shadows and bringing them to the forefront. Colour removes distraction, emphasising textures, lines and movements. It can make things feel more abstract, or removed from what they appear to be in reality. Drawing things that are both physically present, or those that are absent, even fleeting or though they feel to be there. I feel this highlights a feeling of transience, or a removal from the legitimacy of reality. I like the amount of detail I can add. Making some areas super defined, where other aspects can be left unfinished or even blank.
WHERE DO YOU LOOK TO FOR INSPIRATION WHEN YOU AREN’T LOOKING AT ART?
I’m heavily inspired by textures, shapes and shadows of the natural world. I often study lines in the layers of bark, rocks and flowers, noticing how they come together to form an object or being. I like to observe the transition between light and dark, and how our perception to light or darkness creates meaning or feeling. Movement and expression also capture my attention. The way things grow and move, or even sway in the wind. The concept of evolving or expanding is something I feel to be commonly, though subtly, expressed in my work.
WHAT CONVERSATION DO YOU HOPE YOUR ART SPARKS FOR THE PEOPLE VIEWING IT?
I hope my work prompts the viewer to consider beauty in what may go unnoticed. I like to leave things unfinished or fading in and out, allowing one to draw conclusions or complete the picture in their imagination, as informed by their own experiences or expectations
Featuring ISABELLE AZZAM
Photography LIAM CHANDLER
Art Direction AMANDA FUNG
Production KARLI BUTSON
Production Assistant ALEX NOU
