Alhambra III 1962

Antonio Frasconi made this print, Alhambra III, using woodcut to create layered impressions of color and form. I love how he’s built up this crazy garden or maybe it’s an underwater scene, with these drippy red flower-like shapes over soft greens and pinks. It’s like he’s captured a world in flux. I'm imagining Frasconi working on the blocks, carving away at the wood, inking and re-inking, each layer adding to the density and depth of the image. What was he thinking as he worked? Was he trying to capture the essence of a memory, or just playing with shapes and colors until something magical appeared? Look at the way the colors bleed into each other, the slight imperfections in the print. Those details are what makes it feel so alive. For me, it's the subtle texture of the wood grain that makes the image sing. I love the way artists keep talking to each other across time. They make a thing, and the thing changes the way someone else sees, and then they make a thing.