"Suzanne" 1921

Editor: So this is Vilhelm Lundstrom's "Suzanne," a woodcut from 1921, here at the SMK. The stark black and white, those aggressive cuts... it's intense. What’s striking to you? Curator: I am drawn to the materiality of the printmaking process itself. The sharp contrasts weren't accidental. Lundstrom embraced the industrial aesthetics that surged with Expressionism. This print speaks volumes about the means of its production; the act of carving, the deliberate choice to emphasize the raw, unrefined mark. Editor: Raw is right. What does that signify? Curator: Think about it. In 1921, mass production and mechanical reproduction were changing the art world. Woodcut, a traditional craft, became a way to critique those changes, emphasizing handwork versus the machine. He highlights the labor that goes into making this kind of image, celebrating what is tangible. It forces us to consider, "what kind of labor went into its creation?" Editor: It's interesting to consider the relationship between "craft" and "art." How might the "Suzanne"'s erotic themes play into this material reading? Curator: Exactly! Is this just a sensual nude or also a statement about the commodification and consumption of the body within a changing social structure? Woodcut prints were much more affordable than painting, circulating art to wider audiences...a comment on capitalism’s impact on the subject herself, making her “available.” Editor: I see your point; that material accessibility changes our relationship to both the artwork and the subject depicted. Curator: Considering materiality challenges the traditional "art for art's sake" ideal, compelling us to consider social and economic contexts. It becomes much more than an image; it transforms into a record of cultural and labor processes. Editor: Definitely given me something new to consider next time I'm looking at a print. It's more than just the final image, it's the whole chain of creation.