Franco-American Mail 1976 - 1977

David Hockney created this etching, Franco-American Mail, using a soft ground technique. Look closely and you can see the freedom in the marks, the loose playfulness of the line as it moves across the plate. The surface is clean and crisp, the image set against the white of the paper. In this way, the eye is drawn to the contrast between the red and blue marks, and the images within. The lines aren't overworked; the texture gives the sense of a light touch. See how the artist combines these colors to create a rhythm across the grid, weaving a visual conversation between each image. The grid itself is made up of cross stitches, like a needlepoint canvas. The division of space reminds me a little of Jasper Johns' use of grids. In the end, Franco-American Mail presents us with a puzzle of symbols, leaving room for our own associations and stories to fill the gaps.