Compostion II

A major figure in European postwar abstraction, Afro was active as a printmaker throughout his career. For him, making prints was not a sideline, but rather a central part of his creative practice. This lithograph from 1962 embodies his approach to abstraction, one that synthesized elements of Cubism, Expressionism, and Surrealism into a distinctive style featuring bold color, strong contrasts, expressive mark making, and a vigorous formal harmony. Like many of his works, the print is non-descriptively titled as Composition II, leaving the viewer to assign any meanings or associations.