Untitled 1970

This untitled print by Jirí John from 1970 is made with etching, a process that's all about textures and tones. I love how the greyscale creates this sense of depth, almost like you could step right into the picture. The surfaces in this image are really dynamic; some areas are smooth, others rough, built from so many tiny, scratchy lines. Look at the way he uses the hatching to create the illusion of light and shadow on the rocks. There's a diagonal slab in the center, crisscrossed with fine lines, that I find particularly striking. It's like the artist is mapping out the terrain, but also revealing the raw, elemental nature of the landscape. John’s visual language reminds me a bit of Piranesi's architectural fantasies, but here, it's nature that's being dissected and rebuilt through the artist's hand. Ultimately, it's the openness and ambiguity of the work that keeps me coming back. There's a real sense of exploration, of not quite knowing where you're going, but trusting the process to lead you somewhere interesting.