Manna 1961

Sid Hammer made this image, Manna, as a print, and it seems to have been made in 1961. The marks are raw, direct, and full of energy; it’s clear that the process was as important as the outcome. Looking at it, what strikes me is the texture. The image is filled with dense, energetic lines. This gives it a tangible, almost tactile quality. You can almost feel the rough surface of the plate and the pressure of the press. Look at the bottom left; that dark shape seems to anchor the work, grounding the figures above. The scratchy, angular strokes give it a real weight and presence. Hammer seems to be channeling artists like Kathe Kollwitz in his concern for depicting the anonymous masses. But this has a modern and personal twist. Ultimately, this piece reminds us that art is never truly finished but is always part of an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time and space. It's a reminder that ambiguity and multiple interpretations are part of what makes art so compelling.