Farbaquatinta 1965-7 1965

Ernst Wilhelm Nay made this print, "Farbaquatinta," in Germany between 1965 and 1967. The overlapping shapes and colors of this artwork, especially its textures, make me imagine the artist carefully layering colors to discover new forms and patterns. I wonder, when Nay made this, if he knew how the saturated blues would feel against the sharp reds, or how the greens would suggest different forms and depths? There's a real mix of clarity and ambiguity in the way the blocky shapes sit together, almost like pieces of a puzzle or fragmented memories. That cluster of blues seems to want to break away from the red ground. It must have been so exciting to make as these colors and forms emerged. For me, "Farbaquatinta" feels like a conversation between different states of being. It makes me think of other artists who have explored the playful possibilities of colour and form like Henri Matisse. Nay is part of this ongoing dialogue. Ultimately, it's an invitation to embrace the unexpected, and find new ways of seeing and feeling.