Untitled (Mermaids) 20th century

This print, made by Gerard Cachet, shows a gathering of mermaids and flying birds amidst the waves. The technique is all about the scratchy, raw process, like a visual diary entry. The etched lines are like threads, weaving together a scene that’s both mythical and immediate. Look at the density of marks around the boat and the mermaids, it builds the drama, the air crackling with their song. See how the mermaids emerge from the sea, their forms suggested with minimal lines. It is as if Cachet is trying to catch their ephemeral forms as they rise from the waves. It reminds me a little of Odilon Redon's dreamlike images. Both are able to create images which have a similarly haunting quality, where the line between reality and fantasy blurs. Art is an ongoing conversation, a way of seeing and feeling that we pass down and twist, making it new each time.