Kat 1880 - 1946

Henri van der Stok created this print of a cat, simply titled Kat, using woodcut. The process is all here in the bold black lines, carved into the block with confidence. It's fascinating how the density of the black ink conveys the heft of the cat’s body, while the white spaces become just as important. Look at the cat's eyes, rendered with just a couple of quick cuts, and its whiskers, radiating out with incredible energy. The paws seem almost to be balled into fists. The artist has embraced the stark contrast and graphic potential of the medium, creating a striking image with minimal fuss. Van der Stok’s simplified forms remind me of the German Expressionist woodcuts of artists like Kirchner or Heckel, who were also exploring the expressive possibilities of this medium. But here, the focus isn’t on angst or alienation, it's just a cat being a cat. And maybe that's enough. It’s this ambiguity that I find so appealing.