Untitled 1979

This untitled print by Franz Hitzler is like a visual poem rendered in shades of gray, a dense network of marks that come together to form something between a landscape and a distorted figure. I imagine Hitzler hunched over the plate, etching with furious energy, allowing the lines to accumulate and tangle. Look at how the scratched marks build up layer upon layer, creating depth and texture. There’s a tension between control and chaos here; the artist seems to be wrestling with the image, searching for clarity within the density. I get the sense that the image came into being through a process of constant revision, with Hitzler responding to each mark as it emerged. It reminds me a little of late Guston, but also hints at the raw, expressionistic energy of the German Expressionists. These artists are all in conversation with one another, each pushing the boundaries of what drawing can be, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty. Ultimately, Hitzler invites us to join him in the act of seeing.