Refuge

Medium: Mezzotint with hand coloring
Dimensions: 5 7/8 x 7 3/4 inches (image) 11 1/8 x 15 inches (sheet)
Signature: Signed
Artist details: American, 1983
Date finished: 2009/2019
Edition: of 12, Second state

Recommended by Catherine (Collections Specialist / Gallery Associate):

Driven by a nuanced play between light and dark, Julie Niskanen's 'Refuge' portrays depths of meaning within this simple image of two eggs in a nest. Niskanen's use of the mezzotint technique softly tempers the contrast between the abyssal black background and the gently glowing nest, inviting us to consider a close relationship between foreboding mystery and peaceful clarity. The dangers residing in the blackness below this nest are completely unknown, yet the coupled eggs are safe and serenely cradled side by side.