Buffalo Harbor 1950

Carlo Antonia Nisita made this linocut, Buffalo Harbor, in 1950, and the stark contrast between black and white is doing some heavy lifting here. I mean, it’s a print, so it has to. It's a study in seeing what can be achieved with such limited means. I like how the texture feels almost palpable. Look at the way he renders the water. Those parallel lines, cut into the linoleum, give the water a sense of depth, of something moving beneath the surface. And then there’s the heavy, solid black of the bridge looming overhead. It feels almost oppressive, but also protective, casting a shadow over the scene. Now, check out those little white dots, scattered across the darkness above. They remind me of stars, or maybe raindrops, suggesting a world of possibilities beyond the harbor. It’s like Nisita is saying, "Here's a scene, but what you make of it is up to you." Reminds me a bit of Edward Hopper, the way he captures these everyday scenes and infuses them with a sense of loneliness and mystery. But really, it's all Nisita.