Compostion XVI 1962

Matta made this print, Composition XVI, using etching techniques to explore a world that’s both familiar and alien. It's all scratches and scribbles, with these weird geometric shapes floating around, kinda like a dream you can’t quite grasp. I bet he was thinking about what it means to be human, or maybe what it means to not be. The marks feel urgent, like he’s trying to capture something fleeting, something just beyond reach. The acid must have bitten into the plate, mirroring the way the world can bite into us. And those spots of yellow, they pop against the grey, offering a little hope. It reminds me a bit of Gorky's work, that same sense of searching for new forms, new ways to express the inner life. Ultimately, it's about being open to possibilities, knowing that the best things come from not knowing exactly where you’re going.