On Tenth Avenue 1939

Emanuel Mac Raboy made this print, On Tenth Avenue, using engraving or etching techniques. It’s all about blacks and whites here, and how light can emerge from darkness. This reductive approach is almost like sculpting in reverse. You're taking away to reveal. Look at the layering of lines. It’s quite extraordinary how the light catches the faces of these characters, huddled together. It’s like they are illuminated from within. The marks are tiny in places, precise and controlled. In other areas, they're much looser, more expressive. If you look closely at the man on the left, you can almost see Mac Raboy’s hand move across the plate, as if he's channeling the energy of the scene directly onto the surface. This reminds me a little of Jacob Lawrence’s prints, especially in the way he uses the medium to capture the feeling of a place. But Mac Raboy brings his own distinctive voice to it, a voice that feels both raw and tender. Ultimately, it's about the process, the conversation between the artist and the material, and the stories that emerge from that exchange.