Green Studio 1944

Adja Yunkers created this print, Green Studio, using printmaking techniques involving layering and textures. It’s not exactly expressionist, but there’s something about the way the figures are placed in the room that feels like a dream, or maybe a memory. Looking closely, you can see how the green ink seems to pool in certain areas, creating depth and shadow, it gives the image a moody atmosphere. This is contrasted by the pale figures, and the bright little painting on the easel. It’s a funny painting. And why is that one figure’s head a big dark lozenge? The texture of the printmaking process is very apparent; you can see the grain of the woodblock, which adds another layer of interest. The composition is claustrophobic and kind of awkward, like Picasso, maybe. Yunkers was working in a similar moment, the mid-20th century, when artists were trying to reinvent the way we see the world. It’s a reminder that art is not just about pretty pictures, but about challenging our perceptions.