Fontamara XV 1947

Fayga Ostrower made this woodcut print, Fontamara XV, in 1947 using simple tools to carve away at the block. The result is a world rendered in stark contrasts. It's this push and pull, this dance between what's there and what's been taken away, that really grabs me. Look at how she’s handled the sky, those parallel lines, almost like the grain of the wood itself is mimicking the movement of clouds. Then, down below, these sturdy, blocky buildings, feel so solid against that ethereal sky. It's a whole world built from the simplest marks, where the light and dark aren’t just colors, but moods, feelings. Ostrower reminds me a little of Käthe Kollwitz, in the way she uses the printmaking process to convey such emotion. It’s like she’s saying something profound with the barest of means. For me, it's a good reminder that art isn't about showing off, it’s about feeling your way through an idea and seeing what emerges.