In Memoriam Bleuler 1982

Oleksandr Aksinin made this print, In Memoriam Bleuler, using etching, a traditional printmaking technique. The design is incised into a metal plate, likely copper, which is then inked and pressed onto paper. Look closely and you'll see the dense cross-hatching, a hallmark of the etching process, creating areas of deep shadow and subtle tonal variations. Notice how the linear quality of the etching emphasizes the ghostly figures and the oppressive atmosphere. The image is printed in black ink, which gives it a stark, almost dreamlike quality. Etching, like other forms of printing, is a means of reproduction, of disseminating images. In the Soviet context, where Aksinin was working, this has social implications. Was he distributing his artwork outside official channels? How does the act of replication, inherent in printmaking, relate to themes of social control and conformity suggested by the imagery? The laborious and painstaking process of etching stands in contrast to the mass production of propaganda.