Xilografia 1919

Julius Evola made this print, Xilografia, using black ink on paper. Look at the distinct forms and shapes – they’re like glyphs, or architectural features, all pressed together. The act of printmaking involves a kind of reversal, where pressure and the artist's hand meet to transfer an image. You can see how Evola was in conversation with early twentieth century abstraction. The process, so physical, almost sculptural, makes me wonder what kind of marks Evola made on the block itself? What tools did he use to carve out these shapes? I wonder if he was thinking about ancient civilizations? There is something very elemental about the black ink against the paper. The way the forms interlock reminds me of cubist collage and maybe surrealist sensibilities too. Artists are always looking at each other's work, responding, and proposing their own take on things. For me, this piece demonstrates how painting and printmaking can offer different ways of seeing and experiencing the world.