Intersection II 1955

Jacob Kainen made this woodcut, 'Intersection II', in 1955. The stark contrast between black and white gives the composition a striking graphic quality. The way Kainen used the woodcut technique, carving away at the block, feels intuitive, immediate. It’s like he's digging into the material to reveal forms. Look at the shapes emerging – fragments of architecture, maybe? Or cityscapes dissolving into abstraction. I imagine Kainen wrestling with the block, figuring out which marks to keep, which to erase, in the same way a painter might work with layers of color and form. There's an energy here, a tension between representation and abstraction, that reminds me of other artists exploring urban themes, like Mondrian. Ultimately, it's this ongoing conversation between artists that keeps the creative spirit alive!