Softground Splay 1982

Richard Diebenkorn’s ‘Softground Splay’ presents us with a delicate yet firm exploration of space, achieved through softground etching on paper. Predominantly rendered in pale creams with stark black lines, the composition consists of a series of geometric forms. These shapes, though abstract, evoke a sense of architectural framework. The beauty of this print lies in its structural clarity. Diebenkorn uses the stark contrast of line against ground to define shapes that intersect and overlap, creating a play of spatial depth. This relates to semiotics, because line becomes a signifier. It prompts a process of decoding the underlying structure of the composition. The use of softground etching allows for a textured line, softening the rigidity of the geometric forms and adding depth. ‘Softground Splay’ becomes a study in the deconstruction of form, its visual language inviting an open-ended dialogue about how we perceive the construction of space through abstract signs.