Dorpsweg 1923

Jo Bezaan made this print, *Dorpsweg*, with wood, carving away at the block to leave behind the image we see. The stark contrast of black ink on paper emphasizes the village scene's simple, robust forms. You can almost feel the artist's hand at work, cutting into the wood to define the buildings, trees, and the path leading into the heart of the village. The medium itself lends a certain roughness, which speaks to the labor involved in both the creation of the artwork and the daily life it depicts. This isn't high art in the traditional sense, but rather something more grounded, more connected to the everyday. Bezaan engages with the printmaking traditions, but here the technique serves to highlight the dignity of rural life. It reminds us that art can be found not just in grand gestures, but in the careful, considered depiction of the world around us.