Graphic Sheet II 1958

Jirí Balcar made this graphic sheet in 1958 using etching and drypoint. Look at the image: a thicket of vertical lines punctuated by circular scribbles. It feels like a page torn from a notebook, filled with anxious doodles from a fraught meeting. I imagine Balcar hunched over a metal plate, scratching away with a needle, driven by some inner turmoil. There’s a real urgency in the marks. The horizontal lines act as constraints, as if holding back a tide of emotion. You can see how the etched lines are so physical – they dig into the paper, creating a tangible texture. The circles are interesting: moments of release, maybe, or attempts to contain the chaos. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s nervous energy, but with a tighter, more controlled feel. This work shows that artists are always riffing off each other, finding new ways to express the messy, complicated stuff of life through simple marks. There is something here about embracing uncertainty, allowing for different interpretations without settling on just one.