Onkruid c. 1944 - 1990

This is "Onkruid," or "Weeds" by Kees Stoop, made with etching, and it's a dense little thicket of marks. I love the way etching allows for such intricate detail. Look at how Stoop uses the close hatching to build up dark areas, and then leaves other parts almost untouched, letting the paper breathe. It’s a dance between control and chance, a real conversation with the material. The eye is drawn into a world of tangled weeds, a miniature jungle of textures. See how some lines are thick and confident, others almost disappear? Those varying lines create a vibrating surface, full of life and energy. Thinking about process, I imagine Stoop, bent over the plate, losing himself in the act of mark-making, almost like a meditative exercise. It reminds me a little of Piranesi, or maybe even some of the Northern Renaissance masters, but with a modern, slightly unhinged twist. Ultimately, Stoop’s “Weeds” is a reminder that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.