Metropolis c. 1932

Gan Kolski created this woodcut titled "Metropolis". The artwork is a dynamic composition of contrasting black and white spaces and sharply angled lines, immediately evoking a sense of the chaotic energy of modern urban life. The towering skyscrapers lean inward, conveying a feeling of instability or perhaps the overwhelming scale of the city. Kolski's use of stark, simplified forms reduces the urban landscape to its basic components. The rhythmic repetition of lines and shapes creates a visual language that seeks to capture not just the appearance of the metropolis, but also its underlying structural essence. The elevated train and throngs of people are rendered with a similar emphasis on form over detail. This evokes a sense of alienation and anonymity within the urban crowd. The print operates as a symbolic representation of modernity, reflecting contemporary debates about industrialization, urbanization, and the individual's place within the burgeoning metropolis. It encourages the viewer to critically engage with the formal elements and structural principles that shape our understanding of urban space.