Old Musician 1949

Seymour Tubis created this print, Old Musician, with a monochromatic palette and powerful angular forms. I can almost feel the artist inking the plate, carefully wiping away excess, and running it through the press. It's a dance of control and chance. Looking at this musician, constructed from geometric shapes, I wonder what Tubis was thinking about. Was it about the feeling of the music, or the structure underneath? It's like he's building a figure from the ground up, piece by piece, the same way a musician might build a song. The dark, velvety blacks contrast with the bright, almost glowing grays. It’s like a spotlight on the soul of the musician. That deep black shape cupping the instrument? It's a powerful, protective gesture. It reminds me of other artists—like Picasso—who were breaking down form to find something new. It’s all one big conversation, artists building on each other, finding new ways to see. And, ultimately, it's about Tubis finding his own voice amidst all that noise.