Genesis 1990

Leah De Prizio made this print, named "Genesis", by cutting into a block to create her image. It's all in black and white, which means she’s really thinking about the contrasts and textures she can achieve. Look at the way she uses lines. There are wavy lines, straight lines, and dots that create different moods and effects. The lines give the image a kind of organic feel. You can almost feel the grain of the wood in the lower oval, or the water in the rectangular block behind it. It's almost hypnotic the way the shapes sit on top of one another; the composition is simple, but the textures are complex. I like the way the ovals contrast with the straight edges of the black ground. "Genesis" reminds me a little bit of the work of Agnes Martin. Although Martin worked in colour, both share a love of simple form and a clear, distinct graphic style. I love the way that abstract forms can still evoke a sense of place and, indeed, creation.