Exlibris of the Janitor and Philosopher A. Toyberg 1975

This small black and white print, *Exlibris of the Janitor and Philosopher A. Toyberg*, was made by Oleksandr Aksinin, sometime between 1949 and 1985. I can imagine him hunched over a table, meticulously carving away at the block with tiny tools, the fine lines emerging from a sea of black. There is a certain graphic punch here, and such playful symbolism! I love how he combines the high and low brow, a Janitor who is also a Philosopher, what a concept! The figure on the bicycle, with his books and broom, might be Aksinin himself. The way the lines create texture and depth, it is almost obsessive. The man sweeps away the debris of our minds, so that we can see clearly, I can relate to that. The looping calligraphic marks remind me of Paul Klee, who also saw the world with a childlike wonder. What a beautiful, strange little print.