Plate III from The Temptation of Saint Antony I-XIV

About this artwork

**Plate III from *The Temptation of Saint I-XIV*** by Tim Rollins + K.S. (1989) invites visitors into a collaborative masterpiece born from an extraordinary partnership. Tim Rollins, an educator and artist, founded the K.O.S. (Kids of Survival) collective in the South Bronx during the 1980s, working with at-risk youth to create art inspired by classic literature. This plate is part of a 14-aquatint portfolio drawing from Gustave Flaubert's hallucinatory novella *The Temptation of Anthony*, a tale of spiritual torment and temptation. Produced amid New York City's urban struggles and cultural ferment, it reflects the group's mission to empower young voices through art, blending literary depth with personal resilience. The medium—aquatint on xerograph-printed *chine collé* attached to wove Lana Gravure paper—showcases innovative printmaking. Aquatint produces rich, velvety tones mimicking painting, while *chine collé* (thin Chinese paper bonded to a sturdy sheet) allows delicate layering. The xerographic elements add a modern, reproducible edge, echoing the era's DIY ethos and democratizing high art. At 21.4 x 13.6 cm (plate) on a larger 56.5 x 37.8 cm sheet, its intimate scale draws viewers close. A gift to the National Gallery of Art from printmaker Kathan Brown, this work highlights Rollins + K.O.S.'s lasting impact on socially engaged art, proving creativity thrives in adversity and bridges literature, community, and innovation.