Carborandum etch by James Coignard
This carborandum etch was made and signed in pencil on the paper by James Coignard, numbered 16 out of an edition of 90. In this carborandum technique, a metal plate is covered with silicon carbide before it is ran through a press. The silicon carbide or carborandum is a combined emanation of silicon and carbon, similar to coal. This more or less fine-grained material harden the materials with wich it is mixed and this mixture is applied on a metal or plexiglass recorder. Once dried, this very hard material has a relief and can retain the applied ink with a wide variety of shades and structures. The shape given tot the matrix smashes the paper and prints it in the press effect as well as its negative colors, applied by hand. The laid paper is humified beforehand to soften it. The technique results in a strongly embossed prints that have to be seen in person to fully experience the effect. Coignard mastered this technique that was invented in the US in the 1930’s, after meeting Henri Goetz. Embossed in the paper by the Parisian atelier ‘Pasnic’. Untrimmed edges. In very good condition. Framed in an aluminium and glass frame.
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Frame dimensions:
W: 50 cm
D: 1 cm
H: 60 cm
Blade dimensions:
W: 38 cm
H: 46 cm
Weight:
Approx. 1 kilo
James Coignard (1925-2008) was a painter, ceramist, sculptor, and etcher whose remarkable career spanned several decades. Born in Tours, France, Coignard began his artistic journey at the age of 23, after discovering the landscapes of the French Riviera. Initially working in the French administration, he soon left this path to study at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Nice. He became an apprentice of the painter-gardener Marchand des Raux. By 1950, Coignard had fully committed to his art, leaving his administrative job behind.
A pivotal moment in his career came when he met Paul Hervieu in 1950. Their collaboration with the Hervieu Gallery brought Coignard national and international recognition, particularly in Scandinavia. Early in his career, he was associated with the Ecole de Paris, but his unique approach to painting and ceramics soon set him apart. By the early 1960s, he began experimenting with glass, and in 1968, a significant technical breakthrough occurred when his friend Henri Goetz introduced him to carborundum etching, which became central to his work.
With a mixture of primal influences and refined European sensibilities, James Coignard created a very personal style of graffiti. He was inspired by mathematics, African Art, the caves of Lescaux, as well as archaeological sites in the western United States and Mexico.
Coignard’s international career flourished during this time, with extensive travels to Sweden and the United States, where he lived for several years. In 1978, he helped establish the Pasnic etching studio, beginning a long and fruitful collaboration. Throughout the 1980s, Coignard split his time between Paris and the French Riviera, also delving into artist books and publishing. His exhibitions grew worldwide, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest painter-etchers of his era. His work can be found in numerous art collections and over 20 museums worldwide, including the Guggenheim in New York and the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris.
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