High Water 1959

This is B. Masik's woodcut print, dating from 1959, titled 'High Water'. The stark contrast between black and white immediately captures our attention, creating a scene that is both dramatic and serene. The composition is dominated by vertical lines of trees, reflected in the horizontal ripples of water. The dense, dark shapes of the trees frame a lighter, open space in the center, inviting the viewer's eye inward. This contrast of light and dark, solid and fluid, creates a dynamic tension. Masik uses the woodcut medium to full effect, the sharp lines and textured surfaces adding depth and complexity. The reflections in the water are not mere copies of the trees above, but distorted and abstracted forms, hinting at the instability of perception. The interplay between the solid forms of the trees and the fluid, shifting reflections suggests a deeper exploration of reality and illusion. This woodcut serves as a meditation on the ephemeral nature of the natural world, inviting us to contemplate the hidden structures that underlie our understanding of space and form.