Street Market 1938

William Jacobs created this woodcut print called "Street Market". It's all hard-edged angles, like he went at it with a chisel. The deep black ink against the stark white paper. I wonder what it was like for Jacobs to carve out those white lines, the reverse image of what he wanted to show. Imagine the focus, the pressure of the tool, removing material to create space and light. It's a real leap of faith, cutting away to reveal form. You have to be so sure. I’m drawn to the way Jacobs has used line to suggest the bustling atmosphere of the market – the movement of people and produce, all crammed together in a space. There's something about the rawness of the medium that brings a certain emotional honesty, a simplicity and directness. I see the conversation between artists across time, each learning from and building upon the work of those who came before, and making something new.