Custom Made 1939

Riva Helfond made this print, Custom Made, with lithographic crayon, or maybe tusche wash, to capture a sense of everyday labor. I love the surface here. There’s a real contrast between the velvety darks, and the light areas which are full of texture and nuance. See how she uses hatching to build up the forms? The woman's dark dress has a kind of brooding presence, made up of individual strokes. And then, there's the skirt which is a beautiful mix of light and shadow – little flecks and dabs of crayon building up into this shimmering surface. It's full of movement and feels almost like it’s alive. This attention to detail and this exploration of texture reminds me of Käthe Kollwitz, another artist who used printmaking to depict the lives of working people, with a similar depth of feeling and commitment. Art is always in conversation with itself, building and evolving across time, and like any good conversation, there’s never one right way to listen!