The Cicada 1956

Maurice Esteve made this print, called 'The Cicada', with lithographic ink, pulling shapes and color from stone or plate. Isn’t it interesting, the way solid blocks of color—red, blue, yellow—sort of float and intersect? The texture is really important here. It's not about hiding the process, but embracing the graininess of the lithographic stone. There’s this great tension between the sharp edges of the shapes and the soft, almost crumbly texture within them. Like the bottom left block, the big red one, you can see the subtle variations in tone, the way the ink catches on the paper. It’s so physical, almost like you could reach out and touch it. Esteve’s work reminds me a little of Joan Miró. Both artists are interested in playing with abstract forms and vibrant colors. But where Miró can be more playful and whimsical, Esteve feels more grounded, more focused on the materiality of the printmaking process. For me, the beauty of art is in this ongoing conversation, this dance between intention and accident, control and release.