[no title] 1995

Curator: This untitled etching by Per Kirkeby presents a study in contrasts, a small, intimate world rendered in stark black and white. Editor: It's fierce, somehow, like a storm concentrated in a tiny rectangle. Those slashes of black feel violent against the pale paper. Curator: Kirkeby often explored landscapes, and while abstract, I see echoes of natural forms here – perhaps trees or rock formations. Notice how the horizontal lines create a sense of layering. Editor: Right, and those layers almost act as a symbolic representation of the earth's strata, a kind of visual archaeology, if you will. The bold strokes, though, feel primal, unfiltered emotion laid bare. Curator: Indeed. It’s a fascinating tension – the precision of the etching technique juxtaposed with the raw energy of the marks. Kirkeby’s background in geology perhaps informed this vision, blending scientific observation with artistic expression. Editor: It’s a powerful reminder that even within constraints, like the limited palette, one can unleash a torrent of expression. Almost makes you want to grab a needle and scratch at a plate yourself!