Akaki Walks on the Street, Perplexed 1918

Curator: Walter Gramatté created "Akaki Walks on the Street, Perplexed." It's a striking print held in the Harvard Art Museums collection. Editor: It has such a stark, unsettling mood. The figure looks burdened, almost overwhelmed by the chaotic backdrop. Curator: Gramatté's process here, the lithographic technique, enhances that feeling. The dense, black ink and rough textures emphasize the weight of Akaki’s social standing and the alienation felt by marginalized communities. Editor: Absolutely. The way the figure is rendered, almost consumed by shadow, speaks to the social invisibility many experience. This print feels like an indictment of systems that perpetuate such isolation. It evokes class struggles, and the personal impact of systemic inequalities. Curator: Viewing it through that lens, we see how Gramatté uses materiality to represent the psychological weight of Akaki's journey. Editor: Right, and the work is a testament to how deeply art can engage with broader struggles. Curator: It's hard to look away from it. Editor: Precisely, art as witness.