Chinatown Shops 1912

Bror Julius Olsson Nordfeldt made this print, Chinatown Shops, using etching. It’s all about mark-making, and the process is really visible. I love how the network of tiny, nervous lines build up to create a bustling street scene. You can almost feel the energy of the place. Look at the way he uses these lines to create the figures, they’re solid, but the details are obscured, letting the eye fill in the blanks. The surfaces have a wonderful texture, like you could reach out and feel the grit of the city. Nordfeldt's prints remind me a bit of James McNeill Whistler's etchings, both artists were masters of suggestion, using minimal means to create a sense of atmosphere and place. It’s like they’re saying, “Here’s a glimpse, now you take it from here.” And isn’t that what art is all about? A conversation, an invitation to see the world in new ways.