#14: El Jimador (The Jimador) 2008

Marina Pallares made this striking linocut print of "El Jimador" with stark contrasts of black and white. It's the kind of image that grabs you – the bold marks, almost like woodcuts, show the raw energy of the carving process. I am really drawn to the way Pallares has rendered the agave plants and the Jimador himself. The thick lines, almost like they've been gouged out, give everything a tactile quality. You can almost feel the weight of the machete as the Jimador uses it to harvest the agave. The background is a flurry of short lines, a wild energy that makes the figure seem more solid, more present. Look at the way she's handled the text at the bottom – "El Jimador" – each letter carefully carved, echoing the rhythm of the harvest. It's a print that has a lot in common with José Guadalupe Posada, the way it turns a simple scene into something monumental. Art like this reminds us that meaning isn't just one thing, it's always shifting, always alive.