Trapped fly on 2 light-sensitive plates 1981

Hubertine Heijermans made this small print, Trapped fly on 2 light-sensitive plates, in 1981. The blues in this piece are really interesting, they feel airy and light, even optimistic, which seems strange when you consider the subject. Look at the way the fly is caught in a web of dark brown lines, and trapped between plates. You can almost feel the weight of those plates, pressing down, even though the color palette feels so bright. And the fly itself looks really detailed, like Heijermans spent a lot of time observing it. It is as if the artist is asking us to consider the fly. I love the way the textures and colours work together to create a kind of emotional tension. There’s something about the contrast between the delicate blues and the stark reality of the trapped fly that reminds me of Kiki Smith's sculptures – that same willingness to look at the darker side of life with a kind of unflinching honesty. Art helps us to see the world and invites our own interpretation.