Static and Revolving 1947

Louis Schanker made this print, Static and Revolving, and when you look at it, you can almost see his hands moving across the surface. Schanker is working with floating shapes, a limited palette, and a type of abstraction that has the feel of a blueprint. There is also a suggestion of natural forms. The dynamic between static shapes and revolving marks suggests states of rest and motion, as if the whole image is somehow alive. I can imagine Schanker in his studio, shuffling forms around, trying this and that, pushing and pulling at the image. I love how printmaking allows for the layering of different shapes and colours. It reminds me that artists are always having a conversation with each other across time, inspiring each other's creativity. And how each gesture can communicate feeling, intention, or meaning in ways that feel ambiguous and open to interpretation.