Street Scene c. 1935 - 1943

Arthur Zaidenberg made this woodcut print, Street Scene, sometime in the twentieth century. What strikes me is the artist's hand, how they made marks, the cuts and gouges that create this world. It's all about process, that act of making, you know? Look at how the dense blacks contrast with the white of the paper. There's a rawness to it, a kind of inky physicality. See how the buildings lean, as if they’re about to topple into the street. And the cars! They’re like these little, cartoonish beasts, all crammed together. My eye keeps getting drawn to the lamplight, shining out like a beacon. It’s this burst of energy, this point of focus in the middle of all this urban chaos. This piece reminds me of the prints of Max Beckmann. Both artists share a certain kind of angst and a graphic punchiness. But ultimately, art is like a conversation, and it's up to us to listen and maybe join in.