Commuters 1923

Editor: This woodcut print, "Commuters" by George Josimovich, from 1923, it’s quite something! The angular figures and stark contrast give it a really unsettling, anxious feel, like they're trapped. What leaps out at you when you look at this piece? Curator: Trapped...yes! I feel it too. It’s that sense of anonymity amidst the crowd, that feeling of being just another face lost in the machine of modern life, all chugging along towards… what, exactly? Notice how Josimovich’s bold, almost brutal cuts eliminate the subtleties, focusing on harsh lines and shadow. The 'Clown' sign looming above…is it an escape or just another layer of deception? What do you think? Editor: Hmm, another layer of deception, maybe. I was focused on the figures. They all seem so isolated, even though they are physically close. The way the shapes carve out the faces feels almost like masks. Curator: Exactly! Masks that we wear to navigate public spaces. Josimovich really nails that alienated feeling, a feeling brewing intensely in the urban landscapes of the 1920s. The German Expressionists were exploring similar themes…Do you sense any affinity with their approach? Editor: I can see that, definitely. The simplification of form and the intense emotion… almost exaggerated, even. Is that why it’s labeled as expressionist? Curator: Partly. Expressionism distorts reality to convey inner emotion. Here, the daily grind is not romanticized. It's a stark, claustrophobic experience. Makes you think twice about your next commute, doesn't it? Editor: It certainly does! It’s more than just a means of getting from A to B, he has captured a state of mind, a collective feeling. Curator: Absolutely. It's a reminder that even the most mundane experiences can be pregnant with deeper meaning. Josimovich gifts us that contemplation.