Jager 1916

This is Jager, a monochrome print by Lodewijk Schelfhout. It's a wild and busy image, like a memory struggling to surface. The web of lines feels restless, each mark chasing the last. I love how the hatching creates form, but never quite lets you settle on one thing. It's all process here. Looking closer, it’s an etching, with its cross-hatching and freely drawn lines. There’s a real physicality to the work, despite being a print. Imagine the hand moving across the plate, digging into the surface. See how the tonal range is limited, all greys and blacks, but the image still appears to vibrate. Take that strange rounded form near the top left. What is it? A head? A hat? I don't know, but I’m intrigued. Schelfhout reminds me of Picasso, especially in how he breaks down form. Both artists invite you to participate in the act of seeing.