Untitled (Skull) 1981

This Skull image by Miguel Cervantes is made with etching, a technique of mark-making that's all about process and controlled accidents. Look how the light struggles to emerge from the darkness, achieved through a dense network of etched lines. These lines aren't just descriptive; they create a palpable sense of texture, a roughness that speaks to the harsh realities of existence. The eye sockets are bottomless pits, and the cranium is smooth and reflective like a macabre mirror. The lines themselves have a particular energy, a kind of controlled chaos that I really admire. I am reminded of Goya, who was also interested in the darker side of life. But where Goya used aquatint to create large tonal variations, Cervantes focuses on the power of the line. It is not just about depicting death, but about confronting our own mortality. And that’s the beauty of art, isn’t it? It allows us to explore the big questions without ever giving us easy answers.