Fathomless Sounding 1932

Editor: Here we have Gertrude Hermes’s wood engraving, "Fathomless Sounding." The stark black and white contrast is really striking. What do you make of the process and materials used here? Curator: Consider the labor involved in wood engraving, the physicality of carving, the choices of tools impacting the visual texture. Hermes subverts traditional hierarchy, elevating printmaking. How does this interplay between the hand-made and mass-produced impact its reception? Editor: That’s fascinating! I hadn’t considered the social implications of the craft itself. Curator: Exactly. It’s not just about the image, but the means of its making, and how it connects to broader societal structures and consumption. Editor: Thanks. I am definitely looking at the piece in a new light.