Ruth [wrapper for etched copper plates] 1994

This is Frank Auerbach’s 'Ruth', an etching on copper. You know, looking at it, it’s hard to tell if it’s finished or a work in progress, an experiment. It's that openness that I find really exciting. See how the etched lines are almost nervous? They kind of vibrate on the plate. There's a real sense of the artist working through the image, trying to capture something elusive. The lines overlap and intersect, creating a dense network that both defines and obscures the figure. It’s like a drawing in space. And the paper around the plate, with its smudges and stains, becomes part of the piece. It's a reminder that art-making is messy, that it involves all sorts of accidental marks and gestures. Auerbach always reminds me of Giacometti, both artists who were restless, always searching, never quite satisfied. And isn't that the point of art, to keep searching?