Aphrodite is Herself Possibly 1970

Ann Brunskill made this etching called Aphrodite is Herself in a monochromatic, almost blood-red colour. I’m imagining Brunskill working on the plate, incising marks, the acid biting into the metal, the physical labour involved—wiping, re-biting, and proofing. Brunskill uses the etched line to create a figure emerging from the ground. The body is suggested rather than clearly defined, with the surface activated by an accumulation of tiny marks like little flowers. The effect is both ethereal and sensual, like a figure dissolving into a dream or a memory. I am struck by the intimacy and the vulnerability of this image. I think of other women artists like Paula Rego or Kiki Smith, who aren’t afraid to explore complex themes through the female figure. This feels like an Aphrodite who’s not just a goddess, but a person, you know? Grounded, complex, and maybe a little bit melancholy. Artists are always in dialogue with each other across time.