An Overview of the History of Matting

1971   K. Anderson   Heaven, Hell & Acid In Between  Etching,  printed in California This print illustrates the artistic freedoms allowed art students in the ‘60’s and early ‘70’s.  The subject also reflects the conflicts prevalent in American society. The Vietnam War ( 1959-1975 ) was an integral part of everyday life.  The now infamous “Summer of Love” in San Francisco ( 1967 ) was a short-lived fantasy.  The following spring Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were assassinated.  Student riots and demonstrations against the Vietnam War abounded in the U.S. and Europe.  Even the first man on the moon ( U.S., 1969 )  couldn’t mitigate the war’s impact. Finally, in 1974, President Richard M. Nixon was forced to resign over the Watergate Scandal and the war officially ceased the following year. The contemporary framing treatment was selected by the artist.  The mat has been decorated with a paper appliqué executed by the artist;  the frame is hand-crafted in ebony.

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