Sam Gilliam Shoebox Mixed Media Relief Etching Collage 1997 Signed Edition of 21, 1997

Sam Gilliam   Master Artists

Medium: Relief Etching with Collage on Handmade Paper
Edition: 16/21
Inscription: Signed, titled, dated, and numbered on bottom front in silver
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity

"Shoebox" (1997) is a work on paper by Sam Gilliam (1933–2022), a leading figure in post‑World War II American abstraction and an influential practitioner of experimental printmaking. In this relief etching combined with collage on handmade paper, Gilliam applies multiple techniques to produce a textured surface that engages both color and compositional structure. The work's layered imagery and material presence reflect his ongoing interest in expanding the formal possibilities of print beyond conventional graphic processes, bringing practices associated with painting and assemblage into dialogue with etching. Gilliam began printmaking in the 1970s and frequently manipulated traditional methods, sometimes cutting, stitching, or reassembling printed works in the studio to create highly individual compositions.

In "Shoebox", the combination of etching and collage on a hand‑fabricated support highlights Gilliam's commitment to material exploration and his sustained engagement with the visual language of abstraction across formats. "Shoebox" was created as an edition of 21 in 1997. The work measures 20" x 23 1/2" and is signed, titled, dated, and numbered in silver on the bottom front. Purchase includes a gallery certificate of authenticity.