Underground 1939

Lucia Autorino Salemme made this print called "Underground" sometime around 1939, it's a lino cut, so it's made from cutting into linoleum. There's a stark contrast in black and white, which brings a sense of drama and immediacy. You can feel the artist's hand in every cut, making the process so visible. What is fascinating is the tension created by the juxtaposition of the seemingly idyllic village and the industrial landscape. The sharp cuts in the linoleum give the work a raw, almost urgent quality. Look at the way the artist has rendered the people on the ground level. See how their forms are simplified, almost abstracted? Those little cuts give a sense of movement and energy. It makes me think of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who used printmaking to express powerful emotions. "Underground" isn't just a picture; it's a conversation, an ongoing exchange of ideas about the world we live in.