Alejandro Aguilar Canela's graphite drawings delve into depression, anger, and abandonment, finding unexpected value in our bleakest emotions. Working across traditional paper and vellum, he combines graphite and fine-line mechanical pencil, letting accidents and smudges become part of the imagery—mirroring his belief that unwanted feelings can spark transformation. His compositions, often several feet wide, feel in…

These inner struggles are rendered through strange, human-like characters that give shape to the invisible. The Austin-based artist is part of this year's Critic's Choice exhibition at Ki Smith Gallery in New York, on view through September 6. Canela's work reminds us that darkness is not a dead end but a passage to new perspectives and growth.