Kiss on the Hair c. 1910s

Edvard Munch made this print, "Kiss on the Hair," using a woodblock to lay down these close, dark tones. It’s about intimacy, yes, but there is a bluntness, a rawness that grabs me first. Look at how Munch has gouged out lines—they are like the scratches in a relationship, the bits that aren't smooth. The grain of the wood is right there, not trying to hide. The kiss itself is almost swallowed by the hair, this big curtain of red-brown that seems to blend the two figures together. You can feel the pull of attraction, but also maybe the fear of losing yourself in someone else. It reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also wasn't afraid to keep the grit in her work. Both these artists use a kind of visual honesty that’s way more interesting than perfection. Art isn’t about answers; it’s about feeling your way through the questions.