Silkscreen

1967

Ten from Leo Castelli: Silkscreen, 1967. Lee Bontecou (American, 1931–2022), Leo Castelli. Screenprint; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Harvey and Penelope D. Buchanan in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of The Print Club of Cleveland 1970.24 © Lee Bontecou In the decades following World War II, Lee Bontecou became known for large abstract relief sculptures made from welded metal. She used the soot that resulted from that process to make drawings with the same rich, velvety tone seen in this print. Like Bontecou’s sculpture, the image focuses on a central void. The artist used screenprint to create the flattened black that dominates the print. Unusually, however, she printed on a piece of fabric rather than paper, giving the image a soft, vaguely organic feel. Lee Bontecou's work is deeply informed by her parents' experiences working during World War II.