A Hit c. 1943

Mervin Jules made "A Hit" and this print feels like a memory in pale blues and greens. I'm interested in the way Jules uses flat areas of color to build up the image, like a collage. The texture of the printmaking process is really apparent, which gives the whole scene a kind of immediacy. Look at the batter running to first base; the way the orange under-layer bleeds out, suggesting the movement. It’s like a freeze-frame of an action movie. I think the limitations of printmaking, in terms of color and detail, actually help to focus our attention on the essential elements of the game. It's a very different approach than someone like Fairfield Porter, who used a similar palette but was more interested in capturing the nuances of light and atmosphere. Both artists remind us there's no right way to capture a moment, just different ways of seeing.