In this comprehensive volume, art historian Mel Gooding provides an authoritative insight into Mick Moon’s practice and provides a definitive overview of his career. He argues that Moon is one of the most important artists of his generation and asserts his place as one of the key figures of post-war British art.

The limited edition silkscreen print that accompanies Mick Moon’s monograph is co-published by the Royal Academy and Advanced Graphics London.

The silkscreen is similar in its technique to the arresting image that decorates the book’s cover. In much of his recent work Moon has cleverly used the texture of wood grain to simulate water, subtly modulating the tone of the grain to create the illusion of space. Combined with the figures and objects that are collaged onto the surface, these works are atmospheric and poignant.

The wood grain texture evident in his paintings is made from making a cast of his studio floor. This entails pressing prepared canvas into the floor and when dry pulling it away so that it leaves a 3D impression of the boards imprinted on the canvas. This is then attached to a support and forms the ground on which Moon creates his works.

For the print Moon had initially intended to use the same cast he had used in his recent paintings but realised the scale wasn’t right for the size of the print. Instead he used a reproduction of a detail of his painting Dusk, reproduced on page 148-149. This provided the right scale of graining. This proof was then taken by master printmaker Bob Saich who colour separated the image and through subtle blends of blacks and transparent whites Saich arrived at the detail and definition that Moon was after. Much of Moon’s printmaking over the years has involved collaged elements and he approached this project in much the same way, building and overlaying various elements. Moon thought to incorporate trees as well as a number of boats and use woodblock printing to add further texture but as Saich says they were unable ‘to see the boats for the trees’. They felt the image was too crowded and began stripping away elements until only two boats were left. The simplicity of the composition gives the print its appeal. The eye is tricked by the flatness of the wood graining that plays against the illusion of depth created by the scaling of the boats. Beautifully produced, the rich textures of the graining produced by the silkscreen and the nautical subject matter chime with his recent work and makes a fitting accompaniment to the book, the first monograph on this important artist. Presented in a handmade box, the edition is limited to 50 copies, individually signed and numbered by the artist.