Face 1950

Kaoru Kawano made this intriguing print, ‘Face,’ using woodblocks and ink. I wonder what it felt like to carve these lines, so close together, building up this haunting presence? The stark contrast between black and white really amplifies the emotional punch. Those eyes, barely there, but so intense! It’s like the face is emerging from the darkness, or maybe fading into it. The lines feel like they are vibrating. There is something so raw and immediate about printmaking. I'm thinking about the German Expressionists and how they used woodcuts to express inner turmoil. Kawano’s ‘Face’ definitely shares that kind of intensity. It reminds us that art isn't just about what you see, but what you feel. It's about the messy, beautiful, and sometimes unsettling exchange between the artist and the world.