Untitled 

Editor: So, this is Jacques Le Marechal's "Untitled" intaglio print. The black and red hues really strike me, creating a stark contrast between the abstract imagery in the upper and lower registers. It's quite enigmatic, and the combination of textures is so interesting! What do you make of it? Curator: I see it as a commentary on the social construction of identity. Notice how the portrait aspect in the upper register seems to be dissolving into abstraction, almost a self-deconstruction. What societal forces do you think might drive an artist to deconstruct self-identity in this way, especially considering that prints often had an objective to create multiples and engage a broad public? Editor: That’s interesting... The choice to use abstraction makes me think about evading labels or resisting expectations from viewers or the art market at large. Is that possible in the market for prints? Curator: Absolutely. Consider the social and political context the artist was operating in. Who gets to be seen, represented, and remembered has historically been linked to systems of power, and perhaps the abstraction serves as a form of resistance. Do you feel the red in the bottom register has symbolic weight to its tone in particular? Editor: Definitely! It adds intensity, a sense of passion or maybe even a violent undertone with the stark abstract insect or sunlike figure! Is that something printmakers engaged with commonly at this time? Curator: Printmakers often leverage color symbolism and layering techniques, especially in intaglio, to enhance meaning, and to increase cost on multiple runs for sale, yes! I am interested in how the layers in the medium affect our experience of portraiture and abstraction. Thank you, I am always seeking to find how the public makes their own new associations to the materials at play! Editor: It's amazing how much history and thought can be embedded in a single print. I will certainly ponder how I create work myself moving forward with our discussion in mind.