White on Black c. 1950

John von Wicht made this print, White on Black, but we don't know exactly when or where. What's really striking is how he’s turned a simple black and white palette into a playground of shapes. The black background isn't just a void, it's got texture, it's alive! You can almost feel the grain, like he’s wrestled with the material to get those lines just right. And those white shapes? They’re not just sitting there; they’re popping, dancing, talking to each other across the surface. Look at the way the lines wiggle. It's like they're having a secret conversation. You know, this piece reminds me a bit of Miro, but with a tougher edge. Both artists use abstract shapes to create their own language, but von Wicht's feels more raw, more like he’s carving out his own space in the world. It's a great reminder that art doesn't always need to be pretty; sometimes, it just needs to be real.