Must 1934

Carl Hoeckner made this print, "Must," in black and white. You can almost see the artist etching into the surface, making marks and lines to create these grotesque figures. I wonder what Hoeckner was thinking as he worked? It must have been intense, cutting away to reveal a scene of such horror. The bodies seem piled on top of each other, with menacing figures emerging from the darkness. Those open mouths evoke screams, maybe the echo of so many voices. But look at the tiny details. See the lines describing their muscles and the way the light shines on their skin? The figures transform into something else, something almost beautiful in their raw, visceral energy. It's like Hoeckner is saying: "This is what humans are capable of, both terrible and awe-inspiring.” Maybe we need art like this to remind us of the darkest parts of history so we don't forget. Maybe that’s the "must" in the title?