Junges Mädchen (Tochter Lange) 1919

This is Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's 'Junges Mädchen', made with woodcut, and it’s all about the power of black and white. There’s no hiding here, is there? Look at how Kirchner carved out the face. It’s not about perfect representation but more about feeling. The raw texture of the wood, the way he let the grain speak. It's not just a picture; it's like a physical encounter with the material itself. That mark-making, especially in the face, it's like a map of emotions, carved in wood. I can see the struggle, the artist going at it, trying to capture something fleeting. It makes me think of German Expressionism, Käthe Kollwitz comes to mind with her stark, emotional prints, each artist using the woodcut’s directness to convey a profound sense of humanity. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about the ongoing conversation.