Tlalmanalco III 1975

Leonard Lehrer created Tlalmanalco III in 1975. It’s a print, so the image has emerged through layering ink, wiping away, pressing, and repeating… maybe he was striving for an exact copy each time, or maybe he was embracing the slight differences that occur, each pull of the press a little surprise. I can imagine Lehrer’s hands carefully placing the paper, feeling the weight of the press as it transfers the image. The architectural facade is incredibly detailed, look at the way he’s captured the play of light and shadow! It feels like he’s trying to record a moment, a feeling, an encounter with this place. There’s a focus on the figures emerging from the stone. This piece reminds me of Piranesi, another printmaker obsessed with architectural spaces. There’s a shared love of line and tone, but Lehrer brings a more human, intimate touch. It's like he’s whispering secrets about this building, inviting us to lean in and listen closely. Ultimately, it seems to ask more questions than it answers, which is, after all, what art is all about.