Hand Puppet "Punch" c. 1936

William Kerby made this watercolour of a hand puppet, Punch, at an unknown date. Look how the colours are layered, almost translucent. It gives the puppet a ghostly quality, like it’s not quite there but still making its presence felt. The way Kerby handles the watercolour is so interesting. The thin washes allow the paper to breathe, creating a surface that feels both delicate and alive. The green coat, for instance, has this beautiful luminosity, as if lit from within. Then there's the face. It's painted with such directness, such a lack of fuss, that it feels deeply human, despite the puppet’s exaggerated features. That little star on his hat seems like a wink. It reminds me a bit of Red Grooms’s early sculptural works in its use of colour and form. And like Grooms, Kerby seems to be having fun, playing with the possibilities of his medium. Ultimately, this artwork invites us to embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations.