LINOCUT

Linocut emerged in the early 20th century as a more accessible alternative to the woodblock print. Linoleum which is originally a floor covering material made from linseed oil and wood dust pressed onto burlap allowing it to proved an ideal printing surface which was softer than wood, easier to carve, and forgiving enough for beginners while still capable of extraordinary refinement in skilled hands. The process mirrors that of woodblock printing. The artist draws onto the linoleum surface and carves away the areas that should not print, leaving a raised image that is inked and pressed onto paper. Because linoleum offers no grain, cuts can move freely in any direction, allowing for a fluidity and expressiveness that wood does not always permit. In South Africa, linocut became particularly significant through the work of John Muafangejo, the Polly Street Art Centre in Johannesburg, and later the Rorke's Drift Art and Craft Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, where it became a vehicle for storytelling, spiritual expression, and political resistance. Today it remains one of the most widely taught and practised printmaking techniques in South African art schools, and it is the most richly represented medium in this exhibition.