Shoal Green 1967

Stanley William Hayter made this print called Shoal Green using a plate, and what strikes me is how it feels like he's captured the energy of underwater currents. You know, I can almost see him in his studio, right? Methodically carving those lines into the plate, each groove dictating where the ink will settle, thinking about the interplay between control and chance. It's a dance, really. Look at how the greens undulate, creating a sense of depth and movement. It's not just about color, it's about how those greens interact, how they push and pull against each other to create something that feels almost alive. I wonder if Hayter was thinking about the way water refracts light, scattering it in a million different directions. It reminds me of the Futurists and their obsession with speed and motion. It’s a conversation across time, with one artist responding to the ideas of another. And ultimately, Hayter invites us to dive in, to explore the depths of his imagination and find our own connections within this swirling, verdant world.