German | English
An extensive body of etching works – a printmaking technique in which designs are incised into metal plates with acid, then inked and pressed onto paper to produce intricate prints –perfectly epitomizes Schlieker’s approach.
A notable example is a print series from 1997, named after the North Sea Island of Sylt, with three works included in the collection.
As with these works, most „etchings“ begin with a bold, direct intervention on the surface of the printing plate, using an array of unconventional tools – metal brushes, drills, scrapers, screws, nails, chisels, and even pastry wheels. The fine grooves collect the ink, which is then transferred onto paper.
But this is only the start. It follows the etching process that enhances the image with bold, contrasting tonal areas, and that gives these works their name. Schlieker would document stages of the process in separate prints, as exemplified by two pairs of works from 1999.
Further refinements emerge through color variations, plate combinations, and changes in the printing process. This evolution is vividly exemplified by a vibrant, joyful series of four prints from the late 1990s. A closer look at these works reveals numerous plates and plate combinations Schlieker used to create them.
The etching process was documented in another episode of a ten-part series filmed by Christoph Böll during the final years of Schlieker’s life. Titled „Etching is a Sacred Act“, it provides a captivating insight into the philosophy and craftsmanship behind the creation of these unique works.