Levenslang 1978

Harrie Gerritz created "Levenslang" using etching and aquatint, techniques that date back centuries. Unlike painting or sculpture, printmaking is fundamentally a collaborative process, linking the artist’s vision with the skilled labor of the printer. Look closely, and you’ll see how the aquatint creates subtle tonal variations, building up the image through layers of texture. The etched lines, by contrast, are crisp and precise, defining the form of the cages and the wire mesh. The juxtaposition of these techniques gives the print depth, as well as a disquieting, surreal quality. Gerritz made multiple copies of this print, each one requiring careful attention to detail. Consider the social implications of printmaking. It makes art accessible to a wider audience, but it also raises questions about originality, labor, and the mass production of images. Ultimately, "Levenslang" invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between art, craft, and the society in which it was made.