East River 1951

Hugh Mesibov made this black and white woodcut, East River, sometime in the 20th century. It's all about contrast, isn't it? A real back and forth. There's a lovely tension in the starkness. Mesibov really lets the materiality of the medium sing. You can almost feel the grain of the wood, the way the ink grabs in some spots and skitters across others. Notice how the negative space becomes just as important as the marks themselves. Each shape defined by what is left uncarved. Like the river itself, which seems to be formed less of substance than its surroundings. The way those geometric forms dance around each other reminds me a little of Stuart Davis, but with a more somber, industrial edge. It's like a love letter to the city, but one tinged with the grit and grime of reality. It’s not a pretty picture, it’s tough but that’s its beauty. It's a conversation, a question, and a dare all rolled into one.