Defiance c. 1935 - 1943

Isador Margoles made "Defiance" as a lithograph on paper. I can imagine him drawing directly onto the litho stone to create this image; the cross hatching feels intuitive, like he's almost scribbling, searching for the form. I’m drawn to the way the figures are packed together, almost claustrophobic. There's a real sense of weight and physicality, especially in the dense, dark areas of shading that define the figures. Look at how Margoles uses these marks to sculpt the figures, giving them a palpable, almost sculptural presence. You can almost feel the tension in the lines, particularly in the clenched fist raised at the top of the image. It's as if the very act of drawing becomes a defiant gesture. Margoles reminds me of artists like Kathe Kollwitz, in the way he conveys the struggles of ordinary people. Art becomes a form of solidarity, a way of bearing witness to the world.