ETCHING


Axel enjoys creating images that draw the viewer in.

The zinc etchings range from soft ground to liquid photoresist etching printed on Somerset Velvet.

Through the subtraction of colour and detail of digital photography and the aesthetic intervention of aquatinting, repeated stopping out & etching, an image emerges suspended in the liminal space between a photograph and an illustration. An image with a ‘visual voice’ that moves beyond the analytical to engender a more interpretive emotive reading that echoes the early experimental days of photography.

‘The Engine House’ was selected to be hung at the RA Summer Exhibition 2023.

‘The Windswept Tree’ and ‘Ale & Cakes’ were selected for the Chelsea Art Society Annual Summer Exhibition 2024

‘Ale & Cakes’ was selected for the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers ‘Small But Mighty’ Exhibition 2024

‘The Tree’ was selected for the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair 2024.

A NOTE ON PHOTOGRAVURE:

The liminal space between photography and photogravure merges mechanical reproduction with artistic interpretation. Photographic prints capture moments with objective clarity, while photogravure prints add emotional depth through artistic intervention. Combined with photography’s detail, photogravure introduces texture, tone, and personal expression with the richness of traditional prints, creating hybrids that blend documentation with subjective interpretation. Photogravure prints offer a tactile experience, with visible marks and imperfections that engage the viewer’s senses, enhancing aesthetic and emotional responses. This transformation encourages a deeper contemplation, as the crafted print creates a dialogue between historical techniques and contemporary imagery, enriching the viewer’s appreciation of both forms.

Below is a new set of larger Duotone Photogravures using Toyobo KM73 Solar Plates printed on White Somerset Velvet.

INTO THE WOODS: Duotone Photogravure on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 24.5 cm x 21 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm

THE CANOPY Duotone Photogravure on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 24.5 cm x 21 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm

SEA CLOUDS Duotone Photogravure on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 24.5 cm x 21 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm

BLACK TOR NOOK Duotone Photogravure on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 24.5 cm x 21 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm

TWENTY TREES Duotone Photogravure on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 24.5 cm x 21 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL: A New A3 sized series of photopolymer etchings inspired by a trip to Seoul, South Korea.

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 4 Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 29 cm x 41 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 57 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 2 Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet Plate size: 29 cm x 41 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 57 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL

A smaller series of photopolymer etchings inspired by a trip to Seoul, South Korea.

His print titled ‘Memories of Seoul 1’ was selected to be shown at the Royal Society of Painter Printmakers’ 2023 Small But Mighty Exhibition at the Bankside Gallery.

‘Memories of Seoul 2’ was selected for the Chelsea Art Society Summer Exhibition 2024.

‘Memories of Seoul 4’ was selected for the Green & Stone Summer Exhibition 2024.

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 1
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 4
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 2
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 3
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 5
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

MEMORIES OF SEOUL 6
Photopolymer etching on Somerset Velvet
Plate size: 14.8cm x 21cm
Paper size: 28.5cm x 38.5 cm

TREVOSE

A series of Photogravure prints inspired by the landscape and beaches around the Trevose Headland on the north coast of Cornwall between Padstow and Newquay.

THE HEADLAND Photogravure print on Somerset Velvet Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm Plate size: 29.5 cm x 14.4 cm

THE QUIES Photogravure print on Somerset Velvet Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm Plate size: 29.5 cm x 14.4 cm

TREDHU Photogravure print on Somerset Velvet Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm Plate size: 29.5 cm x 14.4 cm

SMOKESTACK ROCK Photogravure print on Somerset Velvet Paper size: 38 cm x 26.5 cm Plate size: 29.5 cm x 14.4 cm

GLITCHENS

Breaking down the human form into fragmented components—whether dots, lines, or discrete units— compels the viewer to actively participate in the process of visual construction. These works are a meditative experience, where the viewer becomes absorbed in the act of seeing. The interplay between fragmentation and coherence creates a dynamic experience where the viewer’s perception constantly shifts. This shifting perspective keeps the viewer engaged, as they move between focusing on the parts and the whole, creating a sense of visual and contemplative immersion.

Three photogravure plates are made up of a coloured aquatint substrate as a base layer with two additional plates of the human form in different colours.

SIX INDIVIDUAL PRINTS:

Plate size: 29.5 cm x 20.5 cm Paper size: 38 cm x 26 cm