Evangelical Lutheran. Church, Women's Meeting 1974

John Muafangejo made this linocut, Evangelical Lutheran Church, Women's Meeting, sometime before he died in 1987. The image is primarily black and white, achieved through a process of carving away at the linoleum to create a design that’s then inked and printed. It’s a world of stark contrasts, where light emerges from darkness, a world created through labor. Look at how the women’s faces are rendered – each one unique, yet sharing a commonality of faith and community. The artist’s hand is evident in the simple, yet expressive lines that define their features. The crosses around their necks create a pattern that unites all figures. The texture of the print, with its slight imperfections and variations in ink density, adds to its raw and honest feel. There's a directness here, a sense of immediacy, that speaks to the artist’s deep connection to his subject. Muafangejo’s work reminds me a bit of the woodcuts of the German Expressionist artist, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. Both artists use bold, graphic imagery to explore themes of identity, community, and spirituality. Ultimately, this print is a testament to the power of art to capture the human experience in all its complexity and beauty.