In 1964, Schendel began a series of monotypes, eventually producing 2,000 prints on Japanese rice paper. Each sheet of paper was placed on an inked piece of glass that had been covered with powder to prevent immediate absorption. Using her finger, or a pointed implement such as a nail, she pressed a drawing into the paper, which then absorbed the ink. The resulting works, more drawings than prints, record the spontaneity and immediacy of the artist’s gesture.
