Wuxtry! 1935 - 1939

Albert Abramowitz made this color woodcut print, Wuxtry!, but we don’t know exactly when. The way the colors are laid down feels deliberate, built up, like he’s puzzling out the image bit by bit. There's a kind of raw energy to the image. The figure of the newsboy is so alive, really jumping out at you. And look how the blocks of color create this whole world around him – the city feels gritty and electric. There's something so immediate about the texture of the woodcut, the way the grain shows through. Notice that the colors aren’t perfectly aligned and how the edges are rough, it really makes you feel the physical work that went into making this print. Abramowitz brings to mind other artists who are really into the grit of everyday life like Reginald Marsh. His work reminds us that art doesn’t always have to be pretty or perfect. Sometimes the real beauty is in the mess, the imperfections, and the raw energy of a moment.