Pinokkio op zee 1979

This is ‘Pinokkio op zee’ by Dirkje Kuik, an etching, meaning it's made with acid on a metal plate. It’s all about the line, the way marks can build a world. Look at how the network of lines captures Pinocchio’s boat! It’s not just a boat, but an idea of a boat. See how the lines aren't precious? They overlap, they make mistakes, they imply form rather than define it. They create the kind of organized chaos I love in a picture. The texture, achieved by the biting of the acid, has a kind of roughness, a tactile quality that contrasts with the flat plane. It makes me think about the physicality of art making, the way the hand moves across the plate. It’s a kind of controlled accident that, for me, is the essence of process. It makes me think about how Guston used similar techniques to achieve similar effects. Art is like a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas. I love that this piece embraces ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations.