The Compulsive Line: Etching 1900 to Now January 25–April 17, 2006 Prints and Illustrated Books Galleries Second Floor

In recent years a large number of artists have contributed to a major revival of the etching technique, discovering that its intricate processes and delicate lines are perfectly suited to their personal, introspective approaches to art making. This exhibition, drawn from the Museum’s unparalleled collection of modern and contemporary prints, explores this development and highlights several new acquisitions never before exhibited at the Museum, including projects by such young artists as Marcel Dzama, Dinos and Jake Chapman, and David Shrigley. The exhibition situates these works within the context of the many artists who have succumbed to the fascination of etching over the last century, by spotlighting important etching projects by selected artists from earlier periods, including Paul Klee, Giorgio Morandi, and David Hockney.

Organized by Starr Figura, Assistant Curator, Department of Prints and Illustrated Books.

Pictured above:
Dinos and Jake Chapman. Untitled, from the portfolio Exquisite Corpse. 2000. Etching. Plate: 91⁄16 x 71⁄16" (23 x 18 cm). Publisher: The Paragon Press, London. Printer: Hope (Sufferance) Press, London. Edition: 30. The Museum of Modern Art. Roxanne H. Frank Fund