There’s been a lot of exciting news in the air of late: the insurrections in Tunisia and Egypt; protests throughout the Middle East; union uprisings in Wisconsin.
I make no pretense of hiding my political leanings in my day-to-day life, nor do I in my art. I lean way to the left; I applaud any peoples’ impulse to freedom of thought, assembly, protest; their right to bargain collectively; their right to be free of dictatorship, whether it’s a dictatorship by a despot, or the military, or a dictatorship by corporate interests.
Prints have a long and proud history of communicating political ideas. Prints are easy and inexpensive to reproduce and distribute, and their boldness helps make their point instantly. And in times of illiteracy, they spread information to the poor and disenfranchised.
It’s in that spirit that I’ve started five -count ’em, five!- new linoleum block prints. Yes, I’ve drawn the outlines and I’m carving them all simultaneously. I do this. I may be crazy, but once I have a visual bee in my bonnet, I don’t hold back. My original inspiration was the insurrection in Tahrir Square, but I’m trying to make the prints both specific to Egypt but also applicable to all popular movements.
Here’s a sneak preview of the blocks in progress.
Stay tuned. We’re living in exciting times.
Bravo – I expect nothing less from you!