Untitled [plate XL] 1958

This untitled print was created by Joan Miró, using color lithography, a process that has deep roots in commercial production. Miró embraced lithography for its capacity to generate multiples, and for its graphic punch. The flat planes of color, and slightly misregistered forms, create a dynamic tension. The image is built up from simple shapes, each laid down in a separate pass. This labor-intensive process is somewhat at odds with the apparent spontaneity of the composition, and this tension is heightened by Miró’s use of textures. Notice how the granular quality of the green shape gives a handmade, almost folksy, feel. Miró often blurred the lines between high art and craft, and was alive to the productive friction that comes from combining careful planning with gestural freedom. In this print, the tension between industrial production and handcraft is palpable, which prompts us to consider the value of both.