Kai D’Orsa

Geelong Grammar School, VCE Art Making and Exhibiting

Untouchable past 2025
pencil on paper

Artist statement:

Untouchable past portrays Robert Drummond, a figure of deep significance in my life. His likeness emerges through the delicate layering of pencil, where every line and shaded area captures both detail and vulnerability. Robert’s eyes, rendered with particular care, hold a gentle fragility—conveying humility, quiet strength, and a profound sense of peace after hardship.

Although we come from different generations, Robert and I share scars from experiences that have shaped us. This portrait is not only about him; it is about our shared resilience and the truth that pain, while difficult, can guide us to become stronger, more compassionate individuals. Our past may be untouchable, but it shapes who we are today.