Cityscape 1957

Robert Freemont Conover made this woodcut called 'Cityscape' in 1957. The thing I love about printmaking is how immediate it is, a real no-nonsense kind of art that’s all about process. Here, Conover uses just a few blocks of color, mainly black, white, blue and red, to create this really striking view of a city. Look at the solid black shapes dominating the foreground. They're not just shapes, they’re lines of force that pull the eye around the picture plane, like you are weaving through the skyscrapers. Then, these pops of blue and red come through, like glimpses of life and energy amidst the industrial architecture. That red spire is like a shot of adrenaline, isn't it? This reminds me a bit of Stuart Davis, and the way he found such an excitement in the everyday architecture around him. Ultimately this piece speaks to me of the beauty and the drama you can find in a cityscape, if you just take the time to really look.