Wind Directions 1970

Helen Frankenthaler made this color lithograph, called Wind Directions, with a printmaking process that emphasizes the fluid qualities of ink. The forms are not sharply delineated, but soft-edged, suggesting movement and air. Frankenthaler achieved this effect by applying the lithographic inks in a painterly way to the printing stone. Instead of carefully controlled, hard-edged shapes, she allowed the ink to flow and blend, similar to her soak-stain paintings. The resulting prints have a feeling of spontaneity. The lithography process, which relies on the resistance between oil and water, allowed Frankenthaler to retain the gestural quality of her brushstrokes, translating them into a reproducible format. By embracing these techniques, Frankenthaler blurred the boundaries between painting and printmaking, elevating the status of printmaking from a purely commercial endeavor to a fine art form. It's a reminder that understanding an artwork means appreciating the labor and choices of the artist.