Le Sculpteur De Tokobuei. Mers Du Sud 1954

Paul Jacoulet made this colour woodblock print of a sculptor from Tokobuei, sometime in the first half of the 20th century. I see the carver poised with his blade, intently focused on the figure emerging from the wood. He wears a woven head-dress and a blue cloth around his waist. The artist's gaze feels intimate, almost voyeuristic, inviting me to consider the relationship between the artist and his subject, both sculptors in their own right. It's as though I can feel the sharp edge of the blade against the yielding wood. Jacoulet really makes you consider the physicality of art-making, the sheer effort and skill involved in bringing an idea to life. The sculptor seems to share the printmaker’s focus and dedication, carving forms within forms, echoing how Jacoulet layers colour upon colour to create this scene. I think about other artists and their processes: Degas and his dancers, Rodin with his clay, how they’re all in conversation, each pushing the boundaries of their medium in their own way. Each telling their own story.