Fontamara XI 1947

Fayga Ostrower made this print, called Fontamara XI, and what grabs me right away is how she's working with such stark contrasts, the way she fearlessly dives into the interplay of light and shadow. Look at how she uses the black ink to carve out the shapes, almost like she's sculpting with darkness. It’s very physical. The texture is so present, you can practically feel the grain of the woodblock. The lines, are they deliberate or accidental? It's hard to tell, and that's what makes it so interesting. Look at the way the shadow cuts across the floor, those lines, they almost have a life of their own. The way Ostrower simplifies the figures reminds me of some of the German Expressionists, like Kirchner. They both share that interest in capturing the essence of a scene with such minimal detail, but it’s still buzzing with emotion. It's a reminder that art isn't about perfect representation, it's about capturing a feeling, a mood, a moment in time.