
Johanna Calle Colombian, b. 1965
Sin Título (Arañas) Antiquus Editores, Bogotá, Colombia, 2015
Ink drawing on serigraph
8.8 x 11.8"
22.3 x 30 cm
22.3 x 30 cm
18 / 20
Johanna Calle’s drawings intersect imagery and poetry, applying both principles to produce a profound inquiry into the human condition. “The possibility of constructing a drawing with other materials captivates me....
Johanna Calle’s drawings intersect imagery and poetry, applying both principles to produce a profound inquiry into the human condition. “The possibility of constructing a drawing with other materials captivates me. I found an ideal medium for experimentation in them,” says Johanna Calle. Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Calle gracefully investigates lines that favor black-and-white palettes. Her exploration of drawing and her innovative techniques are at the heart of her formal practice. Her method of line-making is a physical approach: one that includes wire, stitching, and text, along with the more traditional use of ink and pencil. In the series Arañas/spiders, Calle creates unique works by hand-drawing the different spiders that form the 20 editions of the serigraph suite. Calle employs excerpts from the article “Urgent Cities," written by anthropologist Maria Margarita Ruiz-Roges, as implied lines to create an intricate network of text dealing with the rapid growth of developing countries. This is done as a form of visual poetry, whereas only select words are legible so the viewer can question and contemplate the quiet interplays of line and word.
Provenance
Exhibitions
IFPDA Fine Art Print Fair - Johanna Calle, Park Avenue Armory, New York, NY, November 3 - 6, 2016Between Light and Shadow, Ruiz-Healy Art, New York, 2025
Literature
Brochure, Johanna Calle: Ruiz-Healy Art at IFPDA, 2016 (Illustrated)“Between Light and Shadow,” Meer, February 9, 2025, (illustrated)