Vie Vegetale 1960

Juvenal Sansò made this print titled Vie Vegetale, or Plant Life, using etching, a printmaking technique with a long and fascinating institutional history. Sansò was born in Spain, but he relocated to the Philippines with his family. The Philippines gained independence in 1946 after centuries of colonial rule by Spain and the United States. This print uses a stark contrast between light and dark and the plant form is simplified down to almost abstract shapes. Sansò was deeply affected by the devastation of the Second World War, and his prints often depict a stark landscape of the artist's inner world. They seem to be a commentary on the psychological effects of violence and displacement. The print allows us to consider the intersection of personal experience and the larger political forces, and to see how the institutions of art can be used to make sense of a turbulent world. Resources such as Sansò’s biography, historical archives, and even the print itself will help further our understanding of the artist’s intention.