Vinaroz 1911

This is James McBey’s etching, Vinaroz, and it's hard to put my finger on exactly when it was made, or with what, but you can tell he has a fondness for the area. The soft and subdued marks capture a scene filled with boats and buildings that are both solid and ethereal. There's something about the way McBey uses the etching technique here that feels almost like a memory. It's hazy, with delicate lines that create the form, and the texture of the paper is allowed to come through, adding to that sense of a half-remembered place. Look at the buildings in the background, how they seem to fade into the sky. Then there are the boats in the foreground, full of detail that seems almost obsessive. It’s like McBey is telling us that the process is like searching for clarity in something that resists definition. It reminds me of Whistler, in a way, who was also interested in capturing the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere. Like many artists he seems to be embracing the fact that a work is never really finished. There are always more possibilities, more ways of seeing and experiencing the world.