Downtown 1932

Schomer Lichtner made this scene of ‘Downtown’ with a woodcut, so it's all about bold contrasts, like a city that never sleeps. Looking at the inky blacks and stark whites, I’m reminded that artmaking is always a process of decisions, where each mark defines what’s left behind. Lichtner’s choices here feel both deliberate and intuitive, capturing the hustle and bustle of city life with an almost playful simplicity. I love how the light rakes across the street, those stripes adding a dynamic rhythm to the scene. There’s a blocky, almost naive quality to the figures and cars, which only adds to the charm. It’s like seeing the city through a child’s eyes, full of wonder and excitement. The ‘Jewels’ sign, slightly crooked, adds a touch of the surreal, a reminder that the city is always a bit of a dream. This piece reminds me a little of early 20th-century German Expressionist prints, which also used bold contrasts to convey a sense of urban alienation and intensity, but Lichtner brings a Midwestern folksy charm to the genre.