Francesco Clemente

Semen: large scale expressionist nude male figure portrait, floating in pink

1987

This large scale, ethereal portrait depicts a tranquil male nude figure floating in pink and blue. Based on a tempera painting, an expressionist, emotive piece to bring dramatic impa...

Ray Smith's aptitude for the surreal is apparent in this portfolio of six drypoint prints, presented in a portfolio case. Each image depicts an intriguing, fantastic landscape populated with chimeric nudes. Each one is carefully printed to appear as if doodled on lined notebook paper with ballpoint pen: Japanese letter paper chine-colle on Kizuki Hosho paper. Translated as "Letters from Japan," Cartas de Japon plays on tropes of an exotic, faraway land. The series of prints perhaps pictures Japan in the imagination of westerners, who for centuries speculated that those from other continents had wildly different bodies and customs. The title may be a reference to iconic Mexican director Carlos Velo's 1973 film Letters from Japan. Cartas del Japon, 1988-89 Portfolio of 6 drypoint prints printed on Japanese letter paper mounted on Kizuki Hosho paper Plate 6 x 7.8 in. Paper 18 x 23.4 in. Ed. 30 with three artist proofs. Printed by Hideharu Mishio, Norimasa Mizutani, and Marie Okada at Woodblock Workshop. Published by AC&T CORPORATION, Tokyo, 1989. Per the Broad: "Ray Smith’s paintings incorporate surrealistic and animistic tendencies informed by his Latin heritage as well as deep study of the history of modern art. Smith was born near the Texas/Mexico border...