Pinokkio opgehangen 1979

This is ‘Pinokkio opgehangen’ by Dirkje Kuik, made using etching in 1979. Kuik’s process feels very present in the work. The marks are tentative, scratching around to find the image, and I find that really appealing. It reminds me that artmaking is an act of discovery. I’m drawn to the tonal range she achieves with such a limited palette. The surface is activated through a layering of marks which give the impression of light emerging from the darkness. The figures have a ghostly presence. The way she renders the peculiar conical hats is really wonderful – they give the impression of being both heavy and ethereal, adding to the image’s strange and unsettling atmosphere. The image is part of a long tradition of artists using printmaking to engage with political themes and social commentary. I think of Goya’s ‘Los Caprichos,’ but with a folk-art twist. Both artists embrace ambiguity, leaving space for viewers to bring their own interpretations to the work.