But Where Are They? (Mais où sont-ils?) 1963

Pierre Alechinsky made this print, "But Where Are They?", using etching, aquatint, and engraving. The different techniques give him a range of marks, from the delicate lines of engraving to the more textured aquatint. For me, artmaking is a lot about setting up rules and then breaking them, and I see Alechinsky doing something similar here. The material aspect of this work is really interesting; the surface feels almost like it's been eroded or worn away in places. He’s created a rich, layered surface with lots of textures and tones. In the bottom left quadrant, look at the way he's used aquatint to create a sense of depth, and then scratched back into it with engraving. It's almost like he’s digging into the surface to reveal hidden layers of meaning. I think about how his work, which has roots in surrealism and CoBrA, prefigures later artists, like someone like Carroll Dunham. It's all part of this ongoing conversation, where artists are constantly riffing off each other, borrowing ideas, and pushing things in new directions. Ultimately, art is a space for ambiguity and multiple interpretations.