Leaves - Drypoint VIII 1972

Curator: This delicate print, titled "Leaves - Drypoint VIII," is by William Turnbull. Editor: It feels so spare, so reduced. The plant form is barely there, almost a ghost. I wonder about the labor involved in the drypoint process. Curator: The simplification is key. A leaf, or perhaps a frond, becomes a stand-in for nature, for growth, for life cycles themselves. There is a suggestion of the primordial here. Editor: But the drypoint technique is interesting. You know, scratching directly into the plate, creating that burr, which gives the lines their velvety texture… it’s not just about simplifying; it’s about the physical act of mark-making. Curator: True, the technique lends a certain earthiness. The image hints at both fragility and resilience. What do you take away from it? Editor: A respect for process. Curator: I see the lasting power of symbols, even in their most minimal form.