Girders 1986

Craig McPherson made this print, Girders, using etching and aquatint. With its shades of gray, it's a masterclass in how to coax light from darkness. You can almost feel the grit of the city night. The velvety blacks pull you in, and then your eye starts to navigate the skeletal girders in the foreground, picking out details in the cityscape beyond. The textures are so rich, it's almost sculptural – you can practically trace the artist's hand as he worked the plate. It makes me think about the physicality of printmaking, the way the artist coaxes an image into being through layers of labor and alchemy. Take a look at the way McPherson renders the distant buildings—tiny flecks of light puncturing the gloom. It’s this kind of attention to detail that reminds me of Whistler's nocturnes, those moody, atmospheric impressions of the urban landscape. Both artists share a fascination with the poetry of the everyday and finding beauty in the shadows.