Locarno 1933

This is Mia Bake’s ‘Locarno,’ an etching produced in soft, tonal hues of brown ink. The composition is dominated by a stark tower, rising upwards and creating a play of light and shadow that draws the eye, and evokes a sense of verticality. The artist's skill is evident in the cross-hatching to define the stone structure, while the surrounding buildings and landscape, rendered with more diffuse lines, emphasize the contrast with the tower. The image invites a semiotic interpretation: the tower as a signifier of power or stability, set against the softer, more textured elements that suggest a connection to the land and a more transient, human presence. The etching destabilizes simple dichotomies between permanence and change, inviting viewers to question the fixed nature of symbols and meanings. Ultimately, Bake's exploration of form challenges our perceptions, prompting a reconsideration of how the interplay between structure and surface shapes our experience of place.