Civilization, A.D. 1935 1935

Leo Meissner made this print called "Civilization, A.D. 1935" in, well, 1935. It's a stark image, rendered in black and white, that feels like a woodcut because of the sharp contrast and distinct, graphic lines. The composition is fragmented, almost like a newspaper collage gone awry. I find myself drawn to the "Nations Rearm" section, that massive tank cutting through the earth. It's a powerful, imposing shape made even more so by the density of the ink. The way Meissner layers the lines to create depth and texture is really striking. There's an echo of early 20th-century German Expressionism in the way the image is put together, especially in the work of Otto Dix. Both artists have this raw, unflinching way of addressing the darkness and the chaos of their times. It's a reminder that art is always in conversation with itself, across decades and movements, grappling with the messy, complicated business of being human. And I think that prints, in particular, have a wonderful quality of being reproduced and circulated widely, creating more conversations.