Van Maltese
Pencil For Your Non-Dominant Hand
Toronto, Canada: Slow Editions, 2024
20.5 x 4.5 cm.
Edition of 500
Produced by Eunice Luk’s Slow Editions as a free give-away, Pencil For Your Non-Dominant Hand invites artists to participate by submitting a drawing made using their non-dominant hand.
Send a 300 dpi image of your drawing and your name to pencilforyournondominanthand@gmail.com. The drawings will be posted at https://pencil-for-your-non-dominant-hand.blogspot.com and eventually collected for a future publication.
"For some time now, I have been experimenting with drawing using my left, non-dominant hand. This interest began as an exercise to develop muscle memory and potentially enhance cognitive functioning. However, I have since learned that the idea of practicing ambidexterity to improve brain function is widely debated—some argue that the brain’s efficiency benefits from having distinct hemispheric tasks. The idea of using ambidexterity to strengthen cognitive functioning is perhaps just another fact I thought I knew.
Alongside trying to get better at what I do, I am also very curious about getting worse at it. Drawing with my non-dominant hand has evolved into something more profound: a way of exploring failure, and relinquishing some sort of control. It’s a counterpoint to the idea that an artist’s legitimacy lies in some kind of consistency. Instead, I’m curious about how it feels to unlearn, or re-learn.”
- Van Maltese