Dark Plant 1958

Larry Rivers created this print, called "Dark Plant," using etching, a printing process with a long and fascinating history. The artist would have coated a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched an image into this coating with a special tool. Immersing the plate in acid would bite away at the exposed metal, creating incised lines. The plate would then be inked, the surface wiped clean, and paper pressed against it. The resulting image has a directness and immediacy, the artist's hand clearly visible. The labor involved in making an etching plate is considerable, and you can sense Rivers embracing this aspect of the medium, using it to explore the balance between control and accident, craft and art. We’re invited to consider the work not just as an image, but also as the result of a thoughtful, physical process.