Alter Bauer. – Kopf Senn R. 1917 - 1918

This stark woodcut portrait was made by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. It feels like it has come to life, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I really sympathize with Kirchner here, as I imagine him in his studio, carving away at the block, wondering what to leave in and what to take away. What was he thinking when he made this? I love how the material, the wood, shapes our experience. The jagged, almost violent strokes around the face and head communicate feeling so strongly. Meaning emerges, too, in the contrast between light and shadow, creating a compelling image that is also kind of disturbing. This piece feels like a powerful dialogue, one that stretches across time and continues to inspire my own creative process. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.