Fontamara II 1947

Fayga Ostrower's 'Fontamara II' is a print made with strong black lines, creating contrasts that carve out a village nestled beneath imposing mountains. The way Ostrower uses black and white isn't just about depicting what's there; it's like she’s feeling her way through the scene, one cut at a time. Look at how the thick, dark lines of the mountains dominate the view, while the houses are made up of these blocky shapes, almost like a kid's building blocks. There’s a roughness to it that makes it feel real, like you could touch the walls and feel the texture. And check out that figure walking away in the middle distance, they're almost swallowed by the landscape, which gives a sense of the place being immense and indifferent. In some ways, this reminds me of Paula Modersohn-Becker, in how she manages to find a kind of monumental quality in everyday life, and how abstraction can be a powerful tool to reveal some elemental truths. Ultimately, it’s up to us to bring our own story to the table and let the conversation unfold.