Second Journey to China 1993

Jörg Schmeisser made this print called 'Second Journey to China' using etching, aquatint and roulette techniques. It's like he's building up layers, almost like geological strata, or maybe even like memories piling up. I can imagine Schmeisser, hunched over the plate, working with acids and tools to create those delicate lines and textures. Did he plan this out precisely, or did it evolve organically? Look at the way the image is divided into these kind of patchwork sections. It's almost like a map, but one that’s fragmented, a bit dreamlike. The palette of blues and oranges creates this amazing contrast; some sections feel dense and heavy while others are light and airy. Notice how Schmeisser’s marks and textures mimic the forms of mountains. It is as though Schmeisser is using the printmaking process to create an image in constant flux.