In Stille e. III (“Silence”), Simone Geraci presents a close, frontal portrait that seems to emerge from a dense field of engraved lines. The face appears partially enclosed within a sharply defined geometric plane, as if suspended inside a tilted surface that reveals and contains the figure.

The gaze is direct yet distant, suggesting a moment of inward concentration. The fine network of incisions builds the image slowly, allowing the features to surface gradually from the texture of the plate. This process gives the portrait a feeling of instability, as though the face exists between presence and disappearance.

As in much of Geraci’s work, the title points to an interior condition. Stille is not simply quietness, but a state of mental suspension, held in place through the disciplined repetition of the engraved line.

Etching on zinc
Plate: 30 x 20 cm
Paper: 50 x 35 cm
Edition of 9