Standing Figure 1954

Max Weber made "Standing Figure," a print on paper, at an unknown date. The image appears to be carved, the ink laid down as if it were a heavy object. I enjoy how Weber gets to something fundamental through simplicity. The texture feels both ancient and modern; it is as if a relic was recovered from an archeological dig, or a linocut made yesterday. The marks have a heavy handed quality, and the image feels like an essay in shape making. Look closely at the bottom of the print, where the little rectangular feet support the figure. Are they holding it up, or weighing it down? The figure rendered in negative space is suggestive of hidden stories. Weber, like Marsden Hartley, explored the formal potential of folk art early in the 20th century. Both artists encourage us to embrace ambiguity, and understand art as a conversation across time.