Catalogusomslag voor de Eerste Moderne Internationale Tentoonstelling (EMIT) te Scheveningen 1923

Chris Lebeau made this woodcut catalogue cover for the Eerste Moderne Internationale Tentoonstelling using a reductive technique, carving away at the block to leave only the bold black shapes. You can see how the physical process of cutting and removing material is really foregrounded in the final print. I love how the flat black ink creates these graphic, almost stencil-like images. On the left, the simplified, geometric shapes of the chair are really satisfying, while the figure on the right is rendered in an almost cartoonish way. Look at how he uses the negative space to suggest movement and energy around the figure, it almost looks like flames. The way the letters wrap around both images creates a kind of border. Lebeau’s bold use of black and white reminds me of the graphic work of someone like Kara Walker. Both artists use a limited palette to create images with a strong visual impact. But unlike Walker, Lebeau’s work remains more abstract and open to interpretation, embracing ambiguity and multiple readings.