Hibiscus 1978

Gregoire Boonzaier’s Hibiscus is a linocut print of black ink on paper. Look closely, and you’ll see the plant emerging through sharp, gestural marks. I can almost feel what it must have been like for Boonzaier to carve into the linoleum block, following the veins of the leaves, working around to create those dramatic shapes of the flowers. Did he have real hibiscus in front of him? How did he choose which parts to emphasize and which to leave out? What do the patterns of light and dark mean? See how the negative space around the plant forms its own sort of landscape. What a great way to think about depth! Boonzaier's image is part of a long history of artists looking to nature for inspiration, from botanical illustrations to the still lifes of someone like Giorgio Morandi. I hope this print inspires you to explore the natural world in your own way, maybe through drawing, painting, or even just looking closely at the plants in your neighborhood. Let’s keep this conversation going by sharing and building on each other's ideas.