Prírodopis/Natural Science 1973

This is Jan Svankmajer’s ‘Prírodopis/Natural Science’, made using etching techniques and some blue wash. I love the almost scientific precision of the drawing, which is then made completely bonkers by the artist’s imagination. It's like a Victorian engraving gone completely wrong. I feel his hand so clearly in the work; he’s carefully drawing these bizarre creatures, these impossible organisms. What was he thinking? Maybe something like: How can I make something that looks real but is totally, utterly, made up? The etching allows for an incredible level of detail, from the nervous system, the texture of the wings, and those fabulous brains, painted a vivid blue, so striking against the monochrome background. And notice how he plays with symmetry, giving the creature a sense of balance, even as it defies all logic. Looking at this, I’m reminded of other surrealist artists who mixed the familiar with the strange, like Max Ernst or Leonora Carrington. They are all in conversation, across time, daring each other to dream up new ways of seeing the world. It’s a total conversation, a game of exquisite corpse, and a dance of ideas.