Artisjok 1915

Reijer Stolk made this woodcut, Artisjok, sometime in the early 20th century, and I can only imagine the concentration, trial and error and intuition that went into its making. I love the way Stolk captures the artichoke’s robust, sculptural form with such sensitivity. You can almost feel the weight of the leaves, and the sharp precision in his mark-making must have taken so much time and care. Stolk probably knew all about the great tradition of printmaking, how artists are in an ongoing conversation, exchanging ideas across time and inspiring each other's creativity. The deep blacks and grays he uses are so striking, reminiscent of artists like Emil Nolde and Max Pechstein, yet there’s something uniquely his in the way he simplifies the artichoke into a rhythmic pattern of black and white. For me, this print embodies the power of observation. It encourages me to slow down, look closely, and discover the beauty in everyday objects.