The Uniform 1962

This print, titled ‘The Uniform’ is by Fred Gutzeit. Look at this madman, covered head to toe in pattern. It’s an etching, which means it’s all about the line. It looks like he’s just dancing there in the middle of the paper, almost floating. Etching is a tricky process, so I’m always impressed by the level of detail some artists can achieve. The whole surface of the figure is covered in these tight little swirls that give him this kind of ornamental, but also overwhelming feel. I wonder about the relationship between the pattern and the body. It almost looks like the pattern is consuming him, turning him into pure surface. The mark making in this feels so precise and controlled but then there are these loose, sketchy lines around the edge which make it feel like an unhinged, raw drawing. Gutzeit reminds me a little of Red Grooms, someone else who embraces absurdity. Art is never about answers, it is more about questioning.