Nine Fathoms Deep 1971

Albert Edgar Yersin made this print, Nine Fathoms Deep, using etching on paper. I love how the watery greens and yellows give it a feeling of being submerged, like looking up through the surface of a lake. The image is full of loose lines and floating shapes, but then you notice an arrow pointing down, and some kind of strange anchor? It's like a story is unfolding, but one that is hidden and mysterious, and I think that's what keeps my eyes moving around the image. I keep searching, but I don't think I'll ever quite know what's down there. There is something in the light scratchy quality of this print that puts me in mind of the work of Paul Klee, especially his more abstract prints. Both artists seem to revel in the ambiguity of the image, inviting us to bring our own interpretations to the surface.