Portrait 

Curator: So, we're looking at "Portrait" by Wsesolod Woinoff, a striking print created through woodcut. It’s unsigned. Editor: Right away, I’m struck by how solid and determined this fellow looks. It's an intense portrait with a certain gravity... almost looming! I see those sharp contrasts between black and white. Are we sure this isn't a caricature? Curator: There is a boldness, perhaps even a hint of exaggeration to the linework that could read as caricature, yes. But, to focus on materials for a moment, Woinoff opted for woodcut, a medium that practically demands direct engagement. The act of carving into wood, the deliberate removal of material to create this image – it speaks to the artist's hand in a really tangible way. Editor: Oh, I totally agree. It's like each line holds the weight of the decision. All those lines seem so disciplined but I wonder if they imprison or liberate the person in the picture. His expression almost transcends the print, becoming its own self-fulfilling truth! What's he looking at, do you think? Curator: Well, thinking about printmaking, the matrix carries this physical imprint and labor. Perhaps it has captured him staring down the future, rendered static through Woinoff’s craftsmanship? I keep thinking about what wasn’t carved out, the negative space carefully planned to shape his beard and eyes... and beyond. It’s an unusual but compelling act of labor when you ponder the labor needed in carving that. Editor: Exactly! A paradox really emerges. The stillness almost contradicts how it felt to carve the lines. Still, you can see the ghost of his face hiding beyond it. A wonderful creation, after all! Curator: Agreed. Each viewing seems to give back more layers.