Sisters 1948

Jefferson Eugene Grigsby Jr.'s 'Sisters', probably made with a woodcut or linocut technique, has this cool graphic punch, like the artist was wrestling with the material to get these strong contrasts. The black ink sits on the surface, creating a relief that you can almost feel. The pattern on their clothes is a dense field of marks, like each little blotch of ink is a tiny decision, an individual moment. I’m drawn to how the artist used the white of the paper to carve out the shapes and how those bold lines create such a powerful image. It reminds me a little bit of some of the German Expressionist printmakers, like Schmidt-Rottluff, who were also using the starkness of black and white to convey powerful emotions. Ultimately, it's a reminder that art is about the conversation, how we keep riffing off each other, trying new things, and seeing where it all leads.