Philodendron 1908 - 1946

This is Wanda Gág's "Philodendron," a print—so, ink on paper—sometime before 1946. What gets me is how Gág coaxes so much depth from a world of blacks and whites. Look closely, and you can see her process. She builds forms with countless tiny etched lines. The textures feel alive—from the furry shadows to the smooth, reflective pot. Her marks are less about the ‘thing’ itself and more about the mood, the feeling. I notice how the shadow of the plant is almost as present as the plant itself. It is a bit spooky and I like that. There’s a definite echo of German Expressionism here, like maybe Käthe Kollwitz, but Gág brings a uniquely American, and yes, feminine sensibility. A bit gothic. The domestic turned eerie. It’s the kind of image that keeps whispering different stories each time you look.