Behind the Eight Ball

Edmond Casarella

This Modernist image, a rare proof – outside the small edition of 10 impressions - was commissioned by 'Business Week' magazine to be used in a limited edition book of 3000, published in 1963 by McGraw-Hill to illustrate its "Business America" series. The publication was titled "WOODCUTS of Fifteen American Cities From the Business Week Collection." It promoted "Business / New Patron of the Arts" with a forward noting business patronage over the years and commenting "From 1960-1962. Business Week commissioned fourteen prominent woodcut artists to illustrate its 'Business America' series." Casarella created two images that were published.

Casarella was an early practitioner of the Paper Relief print, such as this composition, starting in 1949. Using shapes cut from chipboard and illustration board he built up the surface of a plate, which was printed by hand as a relief. By peeling, sanding, scraping and carving the cardboard elements he is able to achieve a composition that looks both spontaneous and gestural. A description of this technique can be found on page 154 of "The Stamp of Impulse - Abstract Expressionist Prints" by David Acton, Worcester Museum, 2001.

Casarella created three color blockprints using his innovative paper relief method (technically not all 'woodcut') for the series, one for Denver and the other two for Detroit, from which this image was selected. “Detroit” was illustrated in a full-color reproduction on page 27 of the publication WOODCUTS of Fifteen American Cities From the Business Week Collection.

"Behind the Eight Ball", a loose depiction of the eight cylinder engine, was a tribute to the city of Detroit – described as the: "Free Wheeling City of Brains and Brawn. Detroit...The Motor Capital. Birthplace of mass production. Home of the transportation titans who have put America on wheels."

The other 13 printmakers included were: William Bond, Robert Conover, Werner Drewes, David Glines, Max Kahn, Jacob Landau, Paul/Eugene Larkin, George Lockwood, Samuel Maiten, Frederick Marvin, Doris Seidler, Carol Summers, and Earl Thollander.