Deltawerken I Haringvliet 1967

Aat Verhoog made this print, Deltawerken I Haringvliet, using etching and aquatint. It’s all about process, the way those lines build up, like he’s thinking through the image right there on the plate. I’m really drawn to how Verhoog balances that heavy, solid black rectangle with the watery, almost cloud-like textures. And then there’s this structure, somewhere between a building and a machine, rendered with such precise lines, like an architect’s blueprint. The contrast gets me thinking about control versus chance. That aquatint looks like the etcher has thrown acid at the plate and let it bite where it may. Whereas the lines are clearly intentional. It reminds me a little of Piranesi, but with a modern, industrial edge. It’s not a perfect image, but I like the way it holds these different ways of seeing, thinking, and making together, unresolved.