Tlalmanalco VI 1975

This is Leonard Lehrer’s 1975 print, Tlalmanalco VI. Notice the carved heads, recurring along the archway. These grotesque masks are a tradition with ancient roots, intended to ward off evil. In ancient Greece, such masks were linked to Dionysian rituals, embodying the duality of life and death, joy and despair. The exaggerated expressions—a grimace or a scream—aren’t merely decorative. They are apotropaic, designed to frighten away malevolent spirits. We see echoes of these protective figures in Roman architecture and, later, in the gargoyles of Gothic cathedrals. These stone figures served as guardians, channeling subconscious fears into tangible forms, safeguarding sacred spaces. Consider how this primal impulse, to protect oneself from unseen forces, persists through centuries. The grotesque, then, becomes a potent symbol of humanity’s enduring effort to control the chaotic forces of the world, a visual echo resonating through time.