Petroglyph - Human Figures 1935 - 1942

Lala Eve Rivol made this artwork, called "Petroglyph - Human Figures," using a graphic medium to create a print of red, black, and white figures on a light brown background. Looking at this print, I imagine Rivol carefully considering each mark, deciding whether to follow the patterns and contours of Indigenous rock art. It makes me think about her physical and emotional state as she was creating it. The forms she used are so stylized, so ancient in their feel. I wonder, did she think about the power of the original makers, and how they might have used these figures to communicate with the spirit world? The textural elements really draw me in—the way the colors combine and create a layered effect. It's almost like she's trying to capture the feeling of the original rock face. Rivol's work, and the work of others, reminds me that the conversation between artists is ongoing, with each generation building on the ideas and techniques of those who came before. It’s through this process of exchange that art continues to evolve, inspiring new forms of expression and ways of seeing the world.