Lenin 1933

Isac Friedlander made this print of Lenin, with ink on paper. Can you imagine the act of carving away at the block to create this image? Each cut is so final. I'm thinking about the texture of the paper, the way it receives the ink, and how the artist coaxes light and shadow from simple lines. A single mark, a slight change in pressure, could alter the whole feel. What kind of mood was Friedlander in when he created this? Was he nervous he would mess it up? It reminds me of other printmakers like Kathe Kollwitz, who used a similar approach to convey deep feeling. In carving the block and laying down the ink, it's like Friedlander is asking, what does it mean to make a mark, to leave your trace, to create an image that resonates with others across time? These artists inspire me and the work I do.