Tidal Patterns 1960

Otto Eglau made this print, 'Tidal Patterns' in 1960 using etching. The lines wiggle and pile up, and the pale blue-grey color is like a memory of the sea. It feels like he's scratching into the plate with his tool, like a kid drawing in wet sand. Look at how those dark lines carve out the path of the water. There's a real back-and-forth between what the sea does and what Eglau’s hand does. Those posts, they're not just holding back the tide; they’re like markers of time, each one a little different, each one worn down by the elements. This print reminds me a bit of some of the early etchings of Edvard Munch. Both artists share a similar interest in capturing something fleeting and elemental. Art isn't about answers; it's about the questions, the looking, the wondering.