Breakwater (Estacade) 1976

This is "Breakwater (Estacade)" by Pierre Alechinsky and it's an etching, so lines and textures are key. Alechinsky’s marks look spontaneous, as if he just let his hand go for a walk on the plate. It's this sense of immediacy and chance that draws me in. I love the scratchy quality of the lines and how they build up to create these shadowy forms. Look at the figure on the right, how the lines suggest volume but also dissolve into abstraction. The single red sun or moon is a focal point. There's a kinship here with artists like Joan Miró, who also embraced playful, biomorphic forms and a sense of childlike wonder. But Alechinsky’s mark-making feels rawer, more direct, less refined somehow. This piece is a reminder that art is not about perfection, but about the process of discovery, the joy of letting the hand lead the way, and seeing where it takes you.