Untitled from the portfolio With the Grain of the Wood (Au fil du bois) 1973

Editor: Here we have Pierre Alechinsky's "Untitled from the portfolio With the Grain of the Wood", a linocut print created in 1973. The strong contrast of black and white gives it an immediate, almost stark presence. I'm drawn to the ambiguous organic forms inside that heavy circle. What strikes you about it? Curator: The energy in Alechinsky's lines speaks volumes. That heavy circle, you see, contains and almost constrains an explosive, primal energy. Notice how the thick, dark lines create solid shapes, but then are abruptly interrupted with delicate textures created with the linocut technique. Does this back-and-forth of positive and negative space call any other symbols to mind? Editor: I suppose it does suggest tension between the chaotic and ordered. So, the stark black and white... Is there a particular significance to this choice? Curator: Absolutely. The choice simplifies visual language into symbolic opposites. In many cultures, black and white represents fundamental dualities: life and death, light and darkness, the conscious and unconscious. Think, perhaps, of Eastern philosophical concepts of Yin and Yang. It seems contradictory, but this very conflict might mirror inner human turmoil, would you say? Editor: That's a compelling connection I hadn't considered! This artwork feels less like a static image and more like a dynamic visual metaphor. Curator: Indeed. By using an interplay between symbolism, texture, and form, Alechinsky unlocks deeper layers of understanding and emotional resonance. Editor: I see it now. I'm glad I asked, thank you.