Silence

Charcoal drawing on paper

Unit 4 Art Making and Exhibiting

This charcoal drawing by Judd Leon shows a German soldier standing sadly in front of a camp. His worried face tells a story of fear and silence, and the red tape over his mouth clearly represents the censorship and oppression by the German regime—if soldiers didn’t follow the rules, they would be the next to suffer. The dark colours and heavy shading create a grim, serious tone, while the lighter areas and how exhibition lights highlight parts of the drawing give it a real, almost lifelike feeling. The soldier cannot speak out because doing so could cost him his life. The artwork shows that not all soldiers were truly bad; many were trapped and scared because of strict control and censorship. It reminds us how important freedom of speech is and how dangerous it is when people are forced to stay quiet. The drawing asks us to think about the pain and fear behind silence during hard times.​