Drawing is every where, we are surround by it - it is sewn into the warp and weft of our lives: We practice it as one of our earliest experiences as School children, and as parents we treasure the drawings made by our off - spring like nothing else. People draw every where in the world; drawing can even be used as global visual language when verbal communication fails. As adults we use it pragmatically to sketch our own maps & plans, but we also use it to dream - in doodles & scribbles. We use drawing to denote ourselves, our existence within a scene; in the urban context, for example, graffiti, acts as a form of drawing within an expanded field. Indeed, drawing is part of our interrelation to our physical environment, recording in and in and on it, the presence of the human. It is the means by which we understand and map, decipher, and come to term with our surroundings as we leave marks, tracks, or shadows to mark our passing. Footprints in the snow, breath an the window, vapour trails of a plane across the sky, lines traced by a finger in the sand - we literally draw in and on the material world. Drawing is a part of what it is to be human - indeed, it would be ridiculous to apply this statement to other, more specialized media, such as painting, sculpture, or collage, but some how applied to the medium of drawing, the idea is easier to grasp. Emma Dexter (Curator, Tate Modern)

Drawing has recently experienced renewal of importance in the art world & has rarely been as widely represented in exhibitions, art fairs & biennials as it is now.

All use drawing as a primary medium whether representational or abstract, small or large in scale, using only one line or rich in colour and pattern, drawings have a highly descriptive and meticulously detailed quality that is being explored by an increasing number of contemporary artists.

Extending beyond images traditionally associated with this medium, this show taken or to illustrate the complexity, variety, and relevance of the practice of drawing today.

Although the importance of drawing's role has never been neglected throughout art history, it has rarely been given the attention it enjoys today. Drawing is no longer limited to the note book or the preparatory sketch, nor to pencil or paper. Drawing today is a mark- making process used to produce a line based composition; it ranges from monumental to micro, from conceptual to two dimensional, from black & white to full colour. Artist today are redefining and pushing the boundaries of drawing in fresh direction.

Drawings in various forms surround us in our daily lives; drawing has never been deemed "dead" by critics or artists alive and its relevancy and longevity has never been questioned.

For centuries and more - drawing has served as the most appropriate and effective means for immediately sketching new ideas or visions. It is by nature vibrant & experimental. And as we hope, the artists featured in this collection illustrate, that never before has drawing as an art form been more dynamic.