Duet-Peru 1969

Here we have *Duet-Peru* made by Louis Lozowick in 1969, an ink on paper work. The texture is raw, immediate, like a snapshot of a fleeting moment, a shared melody between two figures. The whole piece feels like a record of an action, capturing the essence of music-making itself. Look at how Lozowick coaxes the texture out of the ground, especially around the figures. It's like the paper is fighting back, but he manages to find these moments of clarity in the faces, in the instruments. The light and shadow dance together, giving the print a real vibrancy. It’s easy to imagine the artist using a dry brush to almost scrub the image into existence. This piece is a good example of how printmaking can be less about perfection and more about the beauty of imperfection, kind of like what I aim for in my paintings. You see the marks, the process, and that’s where the magic happens. I'm reminded of someone like Elizabeth Catlett, another printmaker who knew how to use simple means to make incredibly moving and thought-provoking images.