I'm Sometimes Confused What Is My Star Quality 2 (2022) Drawing by Anton Terziev

Anton Terziev’s pencil drawing *I’m Sometimes Confused What Is My Star Quality (2)* masterfully balances sensitivity and provocation, prompting viewers to question the boundaries of self-presentation, body image, and social expectations. This work places itself within a long lineage of artistic engagement with the human form, yet its contemporary twist—using stylized stars to cover the nipples—injects a pop-cultural reference that resonates with issues of censorship and celebrity culture.
The most immediate impact of the composition comes from its intense focus on the torso. By tightly cropping the figure, Terziev compels us to concentrate on the anatomy and the symbolic additions of the stars. This close-up approach recalls certain modernist and postmodern experiments in figurative representation, where cropping emphasizes form and texture over context.
Executed in graphite, the drawing features a dense network of cross-hatched lines. These textured pencil strokes create a rich interplay of light and shadow, imparting depth to the contours of the body. The result is both tactile and atmospheric: we sense the warmth of human skin and the subtleties of muscle tone. In contrast, the star shapes are rendered with bold, graphic clarity—interrupting the otherwise naturalistic shading and injecting a jarring, symbolic note.
The title, *I’m Sometimes Confused What Is My Star Quality (2)*, is a pointed nod to the concept of “star quality” and how it might relate to the physical body. The star motifs covering the nipples can be read in several ways: as markers of censorship (like the black bars used in media to obscure nudity), as symbols of celebrity or rating (the universal “star” icon for reviews and status), or as a playful nod to body adornment.
In any case, these stars highlight the tension between vulnerability and display. On one level, the drawing subverts the classical nude by drawing attention to the body’s most sexualized areas—yet the playful “cover-up” suggests a self-conscious commentary on how we both reveal and hide aspects of ourselves. It asks: where does one’s “star quality” truly lie—in outward appearance or in an inner essence?
Historically, artists from Titian to Manet to Schiele have grappled with the social and aesthetic boundaries of the nude. Terziev’s piece draws from this lineage but updates it for a digital-age audience accustomed to social media “stars,” self-branding, and questions of censorship on various platforms. The drawing resonates with postmodern commentary on the body as a site of both empowerment and objectification.
Additionally, there is an echo of pop art sensibilities—particularly in the use of bold, flat symbols (the stars) superimposed on an otherwise realistic depiction. This interplay recalls artists like Roy Lichtenstein, who incorporated comic book shapes into more traditional painting, or Andy Warhol’s fascination with celebrity iconography. Terziev, however, maintains the intimacy of the pencil medium, grounding his subject in a vulnerable, almost tender realism.
Despite its provocative nature, the work is underpinned by a sense of introspection. The textured, careful shading imbues the torso with a human fragility that contrasts sharply with the stark, playful stars. This duality—between delicate realism and bold icon—mirrors the uncertainty expressed in the title: the confusion around self-worth and the nature of “star quality” in a world that so often conflates physical appearance with personal value.
Terziev invites the viewer into a space of questioning rather than providing a single clear statement. Are these stars symbols of self-empowerment, playful defiance, or forced censorship? The ambiguity makes the piece especially engaging, encouraging reflection on the myriad ways we interpret the human form and attach meaning to it.
In *I’m Sometimes Confused What Is My Star Quality (2)*, Anton Terziev combines technical virtuosity with conceptual depth, producing an artwork that challenges and captivates. By blending classical drawing techniques with contemporary symbolism, he situates the nude within the broader discourse of self-image, celebrity, and censorship. The result is a thought-provoking piece that resonates with the complexities of modern identity—reminding us that our “star quality” may lie not only in how we look, but in the questions we dare to ask about who we are.

Part of No Time For Losers series of paintings, drawings, object and photography (2019-)
photo material used: Kelly Kelly Barbie Blank (1987-) image - ex American professional wrestler, actress and model

Related themes

EroticFemale NudesAnton TerzievContemporary DrawingKunst