Untitled (Abstract collage monotype woodcut) c. 1940s - 1950s

Sam Glankoff made this diptych print, a collage monotype woodcut, and it's a real testament to process. The blocky shapes and the way the ink isn’t always consistent – you can see the texture of the wood and the press really clearly. It feels like he's letting the materials speak. Looking at the left panel, there's this one shape like a pair of bull horns, but they’re sitting on top of a square. The way the black ink sits heavy on the page, it’s got this forceful presence, but it’s also playful, like a kid stacking blocks. And then you look at the other side, and the shapes kind of mirror each other, but they’re also totally different. This makes me think of someone like Marsden Hartley, who was also trying to find a way to make something modern out of folk art. Ultimately, Glankoff’s print is about looking, playing, and seeing what happens when you put different forms in conversation.