Phonograph and Guitar c. 1928

Jan Matulka made this print of a phonograph and guitar sometime in the mid-20th century. I like the stark contrast between light and dark here; it gives the scene a kind of graphic punch. You can almost feel him carving the lino. It’s all about touch and the physicality of making. I imagine Matulka, maybe late at night, listening to music, maybe some blues or jazz, and sketching out these shapes and forms. You know, he was always experimenting. What I like about Matulka is how he keeps it kind of raw and immediate. It reminds me of Stuart Davis or even some of the German Expressionists. It is a conversation between different eras, aesthetics, and approaches, all mashed together into one singular expression. This is what art is about, it's this ongoing dialogue, always borrowing, always riffing, always pushing things further. I think he’s onto something.