The Morada 1956

Doel Reed made this intaglio print, ‘The Morada,’ using black ink and paper. Look at how Reed uses the light to create drama, almost like a stage set. This isn't just a picture, it’s a constructed vision of a place. I’m really drawn to the way he’s carved out the textures. See how the dark sky contrasts with the white building, and how the shadows make the forms so angular. This is all about process: building up the image layer by layer, carving it out like a sculpture. The bricks in the foreground, are they solid, or are they crumbling? It’s hard to tell, and I like that ambiguity. It reminds me a bit of some of the American Precisionist painters. It’s like Reed is in conversation with those artists, but bringing his own vision to the table. Art’s not about fixed meanings, it's an invitation to see things in new ways.