The People and the Bridge 1958

Dorothy Dehner made this etching, "The People and the Bridge," in 1958. It’s like she took a cityscape, or maybe even just the idea of one, and then re-imagined it as a series of interconnected lines. Look closely, and you'll notice how the lines aren't perfect, there’s a kind of scratchy, handmade quality to them. The dark ground is not uniform either. This isn't about slick perfection. Instead, it’s about process, about the artist’s hand moving across the plate, leaving its mark. The etching feels precarious. It reminds me of Paul Klee who had a similarly delicate touch. Like Klee, Dehner reminds us that art isn’t always about answers. Sometimes, it’s about embracing ambiguity, about creating a space for contemplation and connection.