Figure 1951 - 1952

Max Weber made this print, called Figure, using a woodcut. I can see the knife marks in the blocky shapes, each cut a decision. I love how this process makes you slow down, and each mark has a weight, a direction, a kind of finality. The figure itself is so strange and simple: a sort of totem with a head like a bird and a body that looks like a vase. Those hands clasped in front, they bring a stillness to the piece. And this quietness is echoed in the tones of grey, which are so subtle and gentle. Thinking about other artists who had a similar approach, I'm reminded of someone like Marsden Hartley, who similarly used simple forms and dark tones to evoke a very particular feeling. Art is like a conversation, so that each mark is also a question.