The Man and His Image 1927 - 1930

Marc Chagall made this etching, The Man and His Image, using simple materials to explore profound depths. The density of the marks creates a swirling effect, almost as if the image is emerging from the depths of the unconscious. You can really see the artmaking process here, like the artist is feeling his way through the darkness. I love how the textures and surfaces of the print create a dialogue between the visible and the invisible. The ink is so thick in places, especially around the heads of the figures, that it becomes almost sculptural. Those scratchy lines seem to mirror the emotional struggle of self-reflection. Chagall reminds me of another great image-maker, Philip Guston. Guston also wasn’t afraid to show the process of artmaking and I think both artists ask us to confront uncomfortable truths about ourselves. There's something very special about a work that embraces ambiguity. It invites us to bring our own interpretations and experiences to the conversation.