Amok 1942

Ian Hugo's print, *Amok*, presents a drama in blacks and whites, achieved, I imagine, through the bite of acid on a metal plate. It’s all about mark-making, and how each scratch builds a world. Look at the background, see how it shimmers? That texture isn't just a backdrop; it's the atmosphere, thick with emotion. Then these figures burst through, sharp and angular, like shards of glass. The bull seems to rise from this ether, with people either riding or being impaled by the beasts horns. I'm drawn to the white square around one of the figures. Is it light? Is it tension? It’s a reminder that art isn't about answers, but about holding onto the questions. There's a relationship between this and Matisse's use of stark line and reductive form, where simplification amplifies emotional impact. In both, the unfinished quality invites us to complete the story.