The Second Skin - Friedensreich Hundertwasser

A 1987 lithograph by Friedensreich Hundertwasser exploring the connection between the individual and their environment through bold patterns and organic forms.

The Second Skin (850A) is a characteristic work by the Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Produced in 1987, this print demonstrates the artist's preoccupation with the relationship between the individual and their environment. Hundertwasser often referred to clothing as the first skin, architecture as the second, and the environment as the third. This conceptual framework informs the visual language of the piece, which features figures adorned in patterned, colourful garments that mirror the surrounding geometric forms. The composition is defined by a rejection of the straight line, a hallmark of Hundertwasser's philosophy. Instead, the figures and their surroundings are constructed from organic, undulating shapes and bold, saturated colour blocks. The palette includes bright yellows, blues, and greens, applied with a flat, graphic quality that recalls the influence of Japanese woodblock printing. This is further evidenced by the inclusion of traditional Japanese hanko stamps and calligraphic text within the print margins, reflecting the artist's long-standing connection to Japanese craft traditions. Each figure is rendered with a simplified, mask-like face, their expressions neutral yet curious. The repetition of patterns across the clothing and the background creates a sense of unity between the subjects and their space. The work is a technical achievement in printmaking, incorporating metal embossing to add texture and light-reflective qualities to the surface. By merging human form with decorative pattern, Hundertwasser invites the viewer to consider the artificial boundaries we construct between ourselves and the world. The print serves as a visual manifestation of his belief that human existence should be integrated with, rather than separate from, the natural and built environment.