Standing Over The Dead

Standing over the Dead: Pastel on Paper, 12.75″ x 9″

This drawing was inspired by the Syrian civil war. Additionally, it is my intention to have the viewer wonder, question, and figure out what is happening here. The lower part of the drawing depicts a woman in black standing alone, silent, and motionless with her face turned towards you – the viewer. The body lying on the ground, slowly sinking, as if the earth is reclaiming the dead is drawn with light tones and very little mass.

In this haunting drawing, Ednah Sarah Schwartz uses stark contrasts between the living and the dead to evoke a powerful sense of grief and loss. The woman in black, standing solitary and motionless, becomes a symbol of mourning, her silent gaze confronting the viewer with the harsh realities of conflict. The body on the ground, rendered with ethereal light tones and minimal detail, appears to be fading away, as if gradually being absorbed by the earth.

This delicate depiction of the deceased reinforces the transience of life, as the body seems to dissolve into the landscape, symbolizing the countless lives lost in the Syrian civil war. Schwartz’s careful use of light and mass invites the viewer to consider the fragility of existence and the overwhelming weight of human tragedy. Through this piece, she compels the audience to confront the sorrow and devastation left in the wake of war, while also leaving space for individual interpretation and reflection.