Gerard Russo: Drawing as Witness: Workshop & Observer Exhibition at Romulus Folio
Some artists teach us how to see again. Gerard Russo is one of them, a Melbourne-based artist whose finely observed drawings transform quiet attention into an act of presence. This November, Romulus Folio presents Gerard as part of Observer, a group exhibition exploring the power and poetry of looking, alongside his intimate workshop Drawing as Witness.
Working with charcoal and light, Gerard’s drawings emerge from patient observation and deep material sensitivity. His works balance restraint and emotion, exploring how small marks can hold large truths. They invite viewers to slow down, trace each line, and feel the subtle weight of time in every surface.
Observer, the art of looking closely
Opening Thursday 7 November at Romulus Folio’s South Melbourne gallery, Observer gathers seven artists whose practices turn perception itself into a subject. Through painting, sculpture, mixed media, fibre and drawing, each explores what it means to attend, to notice, and to bear witness to the world around us. Gerard’s contribution anchors this conversation in the intimacy of his included works bridging drawing, sculpture, and light to remind us that observation can be both poetic and political, a form of care in a fast world.
Drawing as Witness, a workshop in mindful mark-making
On Thursday 20 November 6-8pm, Gerard Russo leads Drawing as Witness, a hands-on session designed for artists, designers, and anyone curious about seeing differently. Across two hours, participants will explore methods of responsive drawing that translate observation into movement and texture. The workshop welcomes all levels and encourages a slower, more embodied way of engaging with drawing materials and the world itself.
A gallery committed to process and presence
Romulus Folio’s exhibitions and workshops celebrate art as a space for transformation, a meeting point between observation, feeling, and making. Gerard Russo’s inclusion in Observer continues our commitment to artists who bring depth and craft to contemporary practice, inviting the public into that process of seeing and understanding together.
Join us for the Observer opening event on Thursday 14 November or reserve your place for Drawing as Witness on 20 November. Both events take place at The Gladstone, South Melbourne.