Opus 1 1976

Robert Keyser made this print, titled "Opus 1," in 1971. The etching, with its spare and seemingly aleatoric composition, is a window onto the artistic landscape of the time. The late 1960s and early 70s saw a questioning of traditional artistic values and institutions. There was a growing desire among artists to break free from established norms, to explore new forms of expression, and engage with social and political issues. Keyser's print, with its apparent lack of a central subject and its emphasis on line and form, reflects this spirit of experimentation. The title "Opus 1" might suggest a kind of fundamental statement. The work invites a deeper understanding through archival research and critical analysis of the period's artistic discourse, considering the ways artists challenged and redefined the role of art in society.