Progress #41 c. 1940

Elizabeth de Gebele Ginno made this print, Progress #41, and it is unclear when, but I would guess between the 1930s and 1950s. Look at how the artist is creating these distinct areas of black and white - hatching out forms, and leaving other areas untouched. To me this speaks of a deliberate act of creation, a decision to construct something out of light and shadow. The figure at the center is so dynamic. It almost seems to be leaping off the page, and is made up of flat shapes of alternating light and dark. The light makes me think of a figure from Italian Futurism – all energy and sharp edges. And there's this great contrast with the background, where we see pyramids and the sun rendered with these very regular marks. This piece reminds me a little of the bold woodcuts of German Expressionist artists like Kirchner, who were also exploring themes of modernity and social change through very stark visual language. But Progress #41 has a unique energy all its own, inviting us to reflect on the very notion of progress with a healthy dose of ambiguity.