Richshawallah 1994

Bruce Peck made this print, titled 'Richshawallah', using etching in 1994. It’s all about the process, those intentional, scratchy lines building up the whole scene. Look at the rickshaw puller at the center. See how the density of marks around his legs give them weight and form? The energy in those lines makes you feel the effort. Then notice how the buildings almost dissolve into a haze of vertical strokes. Peck isn't trying to trick us with realism; he wants us to see how the image is built, layer by layer. It reminds me of Piranesi’s architectural prints, all those imaginary prisons and impossible staircases. Both artists create these worlds that are solid and dreamlike. It's a conversation across time, an etching dialogue.