Strandmoeras 1883 - 1931

Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster made this woodcut, called "Strandmoeras," or Coastal Marsh, and it's like stepping into a dense, tangled world. The process here feels almost archaeological - as if ten Klooster is digging down into the image, and then letting it spring up as a plant-like explosion. The whole thing is black and white, which gives it this high contrast, like a memory. Look at how the marks are laid down, each one insistent and full of purpose. The texture feels almost touchable, like you could run your fingers over the surface and feel the different layers of the marsh. The leaves and fronds reach out, and the whole thing feels alive, like it’s breathing. Then, zoom in on one small section of the trunk of the palm tree and notice the way the artist has carved out tiny details, like wrinkles in skin. It makes me think of other artists like Max Ernst, who were also interested in the intersection of nature and the subconscious. Art isn't about answers, but it is about how we see, and how we feel.