Occupation 1942

Leon Goldin made this lithograph, Occupation, using crayon, tusche and scraping. Look at the textures he’s created; the way the light seems to glow from the two figures. It’s like he’s coaxed them into being with gentle strokes, but the darkness around them is much more frenetic. It gives the image a real sense of drama, of being caught in a moment. There's a raw, almost unfinished quality to it. You can see the hand of the artist in every mark, every shadow. It's like he's not trying to hide the process, but rather embrace it. He's letting the medium do its thing, allowing the textures and tones to emerge organically. Take a look at the figure in the foreground, kneeling. See how the lines around his hands are rough, uncertain? It’s as if they are made of smoke. You see echoes of Goya or Kollwitz here. Goldin is part of that tradition of artists who aren't afraid to confront the difficult realities of life. The image is open to interpretation, and that’s where its power lies. It's a conversation, not a lecture.