Tiger and Monkey 1940

This black and white print, *Tiger and Monkey*, was made by George Gaethke, though the date is unknown. What a great image, so simple, and graphic. I can imagine Gaethke making this, starting with a basic plan but allowing the forms to shift and emerge as he worked with the pencil. You know, when I look at this print, I think about the conversations artists have across time. Gaethke’s flattened space and simplified forms feel connected to folk art traditions but also more contemporary abstraction. He’s clearly thinking about design but also about the physicality of the animals. Look at how the hatching creates depth and shadow, giving the tiger a real sense of weight. And that monkey hanging from the branch – a single curved line describes the tail! Artists are always in conversation, challenging and inspiring each other. Gaethke’s print reminds us that art isn't about fixed meanings. Instead, it's about the ongoing exchange of ideas and how artists transform the world through embodied expression.