Gemini G.E.L. at Joni Moisant Weyl is pleased to present a new series of limited edition prints by Richard Serra combining etching and screenprinting. Composites consists of twenty-two editions which the artist began to develop in 2017, and continues in printmaking the compositional and textural explorations first explored by Serra in two series of drawings, titled Rambles (2015) and Composites (2016).

Composites are created by embracing the physical relationship between what happens when a deeply etched copper plate is printed onto handmade Japanese paper followed by the opaque viscosity of Paintstik being pushed through a coarse silkscreen. A marked departure from the appearance of previous Serra editions, Composites are dynamic in their mottled surfaces and exploration of texture and saturation. With a rhythmic play of densities and depths, the surfaces are activated through the masterful application of varying printing techniques and materials.

As is standard in Serra’s works on paper, Composites maintain his dedication to monochrome. Although faithful to the artist’s use of all-black pigment, these new works offer subtle, unexpected tonal variations upon closer inspection. These distinctions are achieved through the use of differently colored etching inks, including black and graphite, resulting in an array of patterns. To further enliven the surface, an admixture of Paintstik and etching ink is squeegeed and then rolled through a coarse silkscreen in one or more applications, thereby giving the texture more depth. The handmade paper is either left with the undulating deckle untouched, or torn to create a comparatively clean edge.

The surfaces are extremely physical, and the ideas behind such a body of work can be found in a philosophy that is fundamental to Serra’s studio practice: a preoccupation with “the invention of form.” The resulting series is comprised of twenty-two remarkably nuanced editions, each offering their own distinct balance between color, texture, and depth of form.