Abstracte compositie 1919

Erich Wichmann made this woodcut, Abstracte compositie, around 1919, and what strikes me is how such simple materials and techniques can make for so much ambiguity. The stark contrast between black and white creates an arresting tension. You can almost feel the give of the wood as the artist carves away at the surface, removing material to create form. The marks are really bold, almost violent, yet they come together in a kind of strange harmony. Look at the figure at the center – is it human, animal, or some kind of hybrid? The lines are suggestive rather than definitive, leaving space for our imaginations to fill in the gaps. This piece reminds me of some of the early Expressionist woodcuts, like those by Kirchner or Heckel, where the raw materiality of the medium is embraced. It’s a reminder that art doesn't always have to be polished or perfect; sometimes the most powerful works are the ones that embrace imperfection and invite us to participate in the process of meaning-making.