Body Pose II, 1971 - 1975

Photo etching on Zinc, drypoint etching reworked // This photo etching on zinc, measuring 68 x 50 cm, highlights Rainer’s exploration of distorted facial expressions and body language. The composition depicts a figure—presumably Rainer himself—posed against a muted red background, with chaotic drypoint lines overlaid on the image. The subject’s closed eyes, grimacing expression, and crossed arms convey vulnerability and tension, while the intense black strokes add a dynamic layer of abstraction, suggesting emotional struggle or inner turmoil. Rainer's Body Poses and Face Farces emerged from his performative experiments in the late 1960s, where he distorted his expressions in photo booths and later collaborated with photographers in the studio. By enlarging and reworking these photographs, he transformed them into powerful works of action art, blending physicality and abstraction. Body Pose II is part of an edition of 40 and exemplifies Rainer’s unique approach to integrating photography, etching, and expressive mark-making. Show Less