I Part of Sabine D Region, Southwest Mare Tranquilitatis from Lithographs Based on Geologic Maps of Lunar Orbiter and Apollo Landing Sites 1972

Nancy Graves made this lithograph, pulling colours over the surface like a weather map of the moon. Just imagine her in the print studio, that beautiful tension between control and chance, guiding the ink, wiping it back, coaxing the image into being. I can almost feel the focus and determination in her gestures. All those tiny dots of black, pink, green and purple. It’s a kind of madness, and that's what gives it its energy. You know, painting isn’t just about what you see, it’s about what you feel, what you think, what you remember. It is its own form of seeing. Graves’ practice was so varied – sculpture, painting, printmaking, and film – but always pushing the boundaries of representation, challenging the way we perceive and understand the world. She was in conversation with so many other artists. They're always in dialogue, inspiring each other. And that’s the beauty of it.