Dimensions: image: 289 x 179 mm mount: 562 x 408 x 4 mm
Copyright: © Georg Baselitz | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Editor: This untitled etching by Georg Baselitz, done in 1975, features dynamic, almost chaotic lines. The stark black lines against the white create an unsettling feeling. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The composition emphasizes the materiality of the line itself. The etching process allows for a specific kind of mark-making, one that is both deliberate and somewhat unpredictable. Consider the varying weights and textures of the lines—how do they create a sense of depth, or perhaps deny it? Editor: The lines definitely feel intentional, but the overall image feels unresolved. Curator: Perhaps the lack of resolution is the point. Baselitz often challenges traditional notions of representation. Notice the spatial relationships, too, and consider how they contribute to the overall visual experience. Editor: I see now that the tension between control and chaos is what makes it so interesting. Curator: Precisely! It reveals how formal elements can convey meaning beyond simple representation.
http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/baselitz-no-title-p77970
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Baselitz’s vigorous and expressive style, influenced by the drawing and paintings of the mentally ill, often represents the body as a site of anxiety. This series of prints show a female figure crouching and twisted. The body is fragmented: in some works, the head is cropped, while others feature only isolated limbs. The hatched and scored quality adds to the sense of raw spontaneity and even violence. Many of the prints include flowers and vegetation which, with the use of greens and browns, suggest wild nature and fertility. Gallery label, July 2015