Zare jedné noci/Glare of One Night 1984

Jaroslav Serych made this print, Glare of One Night, using a super physical, almost violent approach to mark-making. The overall palette is dark, close to monochrome, but that enhances the small area of red. The colour seems to bleed, like a wound. There's so much texture and energy, right? It's like Serych attacked the plate with a frenzy. Scratches and scrapes build up this intense image, which appears to show a figure caught in a moment of agony or ecstasy. The figure is cloaked in darkness, only emerging into the light in certain areas. The area around the head is particularly striking: the whiteness against the dark shadows creates a sense of drama, a moment of revelation. The contrast is really powerful, making me think of Goya’s darkest prints. Both artists share an unflinching eye, finding beauty in the grotesque and the sublime.