Colin Self

SPAGHETTI

© Colin Self 2005. All rights reserved, DACS.

SPAGHETTI

1971 Colin Self (1941 − )
After the meticulous drawings of commonplace objects such as sofas and hot dogs, made in the early mid 1960s, Self began to explore the possibilities of making pictures without any direct hand work or physical contact with the paper, eliminating calligraphic gesture. These explorations culminated in the series Prelude to 1000 Temporary Objects of Our Time.

The work comes from this series of nine prints, shown at the 1971 São Paulo Bienal. Self arranged objects such as leaves, sand, spaghetti and a human figure, onto copper plates and sprayed around them with an acid resist. For some of the prints he applied an aquatint ground to hold the ink, for others he simply etched the exposed copper, the results look similar to solarised photographs as the ink only holds near the edge of the image.

Out of Print British Printmaking 1946-1976, The British Council 1994

  • Accession Number P1482
  • Dimensions 68.7 X 54 CM
  • Media ETCHING

Glossary

  • Aquatint

    An intaglio printmaking process and a method of achieving tone by etching a plate covered with resin dust. The acid corrodes the unprotected metal leaving only the surface protected by a speck of dust. When inked the plate will print a tone of black through to very pale grey depending on the length of time it was immersed in the acid. Its name derives from the finished print resembling a watercolour, and is a tonal rather than a linear work.

Portfolio

Past exhibitions

1971 SAO PAULO BIENAL - ROAD SHOW: A NEW ENGLISH ENQUIRY

  • 1973
    • Mexico, Mexico City, Museo De Arte Moderno
  • 1972
    • Chile, Santiago, Museo Nacional De Bellas Artes
    • Argentina, Buenos Aires, Museo Nacional De Bellas Artes
    • Montevideo, Museo De Artes Visuales
  • 1971
    • Brazil, Sao Paulo, Museu De Arte Moderna
    • Brazil, Rio De Janeiro, Museu De Arte Moderna
© 2011 British Council

The United Kingdom`s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland).

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