Schindler's Landscapes

         Here’s a linoleum block print by Deborah Schindler (USA), entitled “Medieval Forest.”  It has a very interesting blend of organic and geometric forms, and in many ways seems more African than Medieval to me.  Compare, for example, with the work of Azaria Mbatha.  On the other hand, there are medieval illuminations that use a similar style of abstract designs to fill in backgrounds and borders, while foreground elements are laid out across them.  I wonder whether Schindler was drawing inspiration from specific works, or was just evoking this from her imagination.

        In another piece by Schindler, called “Homing Pigeons,” you can see the influence of medieval art in the icon-like shape of the birds, and the rotationally symmetric arrangement as of decorative tiles.  I like the way Schindler makes a connection between the modern and medieval worlds, a theme that appears frequently in her work.  Also interesting is the background pattern of lines that suggest the shapes of roofs, as if the entire landscape were wall-to-wall houses in every inch that isn’t highway.  Visually it makes an effective background against which both light highway and black pigeons can pop, but when you look closely it seems to add a commentary about the modern landscape.

        Modern highway with birds, or medieval forest without animals, both pieces by Schindler are interesting.

[Pictures: Medieval Forest, linoleum cut by Deborah Schindler;

Homing Pigeons, linoleum cut by Schindler (Images from WashingtonPrintmakers.com).]