Delving into the depths of human experience
Nicholas Drake, born in 1994, grew up in Johannesburg South Africa where he began drawing as a hobby during high school. Art was something that he took passion for outside of high school. Tragically, Nik never saw value in his work until dozens of others displayed their fascination for his projects. When asked the “why” about his drawings, he merely shrugged his shoulders, combined with a phrase “it just comes out of me”. Unlike many other artists, who have a firm purpose in creating their art which can be transformed into literature and stories, Nik’s art is simply inexplicable.
No number of words or descriptive emotions can pinpoint the exact story Nik is telling, other than the picture of his chaotic mind. Drawing was merely a method of passing time, which then grew into a method of escaping time, and reality. It remained a hobby until after high school where Nik studied graphic design for 3 years to pursue his creative interests. Amongst working some creative jobs, he maintained drawing inconsistently but never attempted to progress it any further than a hobby.
Drawing became an escape for Nik when life came crashing down on him with a series of significant collapses. The collapse of many foundational relationships and important aspects of Nik’s life sent him into a spiral of depression, leading to a consequent schizophrenia in the form of psychosis. Nik has been in recovery from this spiral ever since, lasting about 4 years now while being in and out of hospital too. As a reflection of his mind, the artworks are made of abstract, psychedelic lines through a medium of fine liner pens. These lines form interpretations of which two people will never share. That’s where the beauty in it lies – one may see a city scattered with futuristic skyscrapers while another will see a human heart brushed with lines of a matrix. It all lies in the beholder, hence all of the artworks are untitled. One simply cannot title such subjective beauty.
Nik does not openly share his experiences in psychosis, and it is difficult for one to understand the true hardships and feelings that he endures on a daily basis. Nik’s art is a way of him non verbally communicating these feelings and hardships to us. The more one is able to share their woes and openly communicate their hardships, the easier it becomes to overcome these hardships. The more Nik is able to communicate these hardships, the easier it becomes to conquer his psychosis. And after all, one cannot produce beauty without enduring great suffering.
Many of Nik’s pieces have sold in galleries in Johannesburg, but he desires to expand the geo graphics of his art to Europe and develop his growing reputation as an artist.