The Wretched of the Earth—Plague Series 1970

Mitchell Jamieson made this print, part of his Plague Series, with ink on paper. Look at how the image emerges from a sea of dark ink; Jamieson isn’t afraid to let the process show. The texture in this print is amazing. See how he's built up the darks, creating a real sense of depth and dread? There's a real physicality to the marks, like he's wrestling with the image, trying to pull it out of the darkness. Notice the cluster of faces near the bottom, their mouths agape in a silent scream. The marks are loose and gestural, capturing a sense of raw emotion. It’s not about perfection, but about conveying feeling. It reminds me of Kathe Kollwitz, another artist who wasn't afraid to confront difficult subjects in her work. Like Kollwitz, Jamieson embraces ambiguity, allowing the image to remain open to interpretation.