Wednesday, December 8, 2010

"Village Market" by Isaac Sithole

This piece reminds me why I so love color woodcuts. Just as with black and white woodcuts, because the marks must be so definite and the color so rich, the image is striking and oftentimes even jarring. Particularly in this piece, the orange in contrast to the vivid blue pop. Bright yellows surrounded by deep greens seem to shine as if reflecting sunlight. Everything is warm and suggestive of movement.

I love, too, the lack of perspective in this picture. The buildings slump and bend with the landscape. The trilogy of figures seem overgrown beside the fruit stand, and yet are dwarfed by the central plant. It is as if to remind the viewer that while they command the distribution and use of the harvest, they are dependent on the land.

The swimming sky, the hot, red sun, the ground speckled with seeds and reeds - all is life.

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