Murex denudatus Possibly 1962

Charles Arthur Wells, Jr. made this print of a Murex denudatus, or stripped murex, in the last century. It’s all about process, etched lines capturing a shell's texture, its form emerging from a dance of acid and metal. The surface is a map of controlled accidents, each line a decision, a scratch in time. It's not just about seeing; it's about feeling the shell's story, the artist’s hand, the bite of the acid. Look closely, and you can almost feel the ridges, the sharp points, the weight of something ancient and unknowable. The tones are muted, almost ghostly, giving it a sense of fragile strength. This piece reminds me of Vija Celmins’ meticulous renderings of natural forms, where obsessive detail meets a kind of existential contemplation. It’s a conversation between the artist, the object, and the viewer, a reminder that art is as much about the journey as the destination.