First Etching [right panel] 1980

Here we have the right panel of Joel Fisher's "First Etching," an etching on paper. At first glance, the colours are all subtle variations of white and the composition feels understated, but the longer you look the more the process comes to the fore. The rectangle of the plate mark on the left is so soft it's like a whisper. The paper itself has a beautiful texture, a sort of handmade quality that emphasizes the physical aspect of printmaking. You can almost imagine Fisher carefully wiping the plate, coaxing these gentle tones from the surface. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin’s subtle grids, or even some of Robert Ryman’s all-white paintings. It’s that same spirit, trying to isolate the essence of a medium, or, perhaps, reduce it to its very bare bones. It seems to ask, how little can you do and still call it art? How quiet can a picture be and still catch your eye? Ultimately, I think it’s this quietness that stays with you.