Untitled 2017

This untitled artwork was made by EtchingRoom1 in 2016. It looks like it has been constructed with lines, layer upon layer, with ink and the persistent scratching of a nib. What an endeavor! I imagine the artist, EtchingRoom1, sitting in a room filled with prints and tools and paper everywhere, going back and forth. A decision made, an etching drawn. Here, the crowd surges toward a central point of focus—the light seems to stream down illuminating the mass of faces. Like a stadium or theatre. Each is rendered with care; everyone is unique and individual. A little bit weird, a little bit wonky, but all are equally fascinating. This recalls the work of Philip Guston who would use his pen in a similar way, covering areas with hatching. He was in an ongoing conversation with artists across time, inspiring creativity with his mark-making. And this piece, it is more than mark-making, it is world-making. It's like, what is the real? What is the fake? And what is in-between? That’s where I want to be!