Vodní formy (Watery Shapes) 1994

Curator: This intriguing print is titled "Vodní formy (Watery Shapes)," created in 1994 by Frantisek Hodonsky, employing the technique of woodcut. Editor: It strikes me as incredibly raw and visceral. The clashing blocks of red, green, and blue feel almost violently juxtaposed, the textured surfaces full of dynamic energy. Curator: The title indeed provides a vital clue. Considering Hodonsky's choice of aqueous greens and blues, and even that sinuous red, one begins to understand how he is abstractly depicting the flow and essence of water itself. Perhaps even the feeling of being submerged? Editor: Right, I can definitely see that now. The process of woodcut lends itself perfectly to capturing the sense of texture and movement – all that cutting and gouging away at the block mirroring the erosion and currents of water. Notice how the grain emphasizes that sense of flow and depth. Curator: The geometric forms, upon closer inspection, start to reveal themselves as metaphors, if you will, for natural phenomena – currents, reflections, perhaps even the contained stillness of a pond. The blocks of color could suggest shifts in depth or light. Editor: It's fascinating how the seemingly random application of ink achieves this effect. You can practically see the artist pressing the block onto the paper, bearing the weight of his creative labor onto the final image. It's not just about representation, it's about the act of making, of physically engaging with the material world to express something deeper about the elemental force of water. Curator: A print, in its very nature, suggests a repeated symbol, an icon that could spread this appreciation, encouraging us to connect or reconnect with our aquatic environments. Editor: I agree completely. Examining the labor behind these "Watery Shapes," the materiality really shifts the whole perspective. Thanks! Curator: A vital insight, indeed. A new experience altogether.