Unfriendly Dancer 1946

Hans Orlowski made this monochromatic print, "Unfriendly Dancer", sometime in the mid-20th century with stark mark making and dramatic contrast. Look at the way the white lines carve out the figure, there’s an intensity in the details, from the feathered wings to the dancer's contorted face. The textures are incredible, you can almost feel the roughness of the woodblock. Take the dancer’s hands, for instance. See how the lines are so close together, they create a sense of depth and volume. It reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, another German artist who used printmaking to convey really intense emotions. They both have this way of making the personal feel universal. And just like any good piece of art, this print isn't about telling you what to think. Instead, it invites you to feel it. It embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations.