748 One of Five Seamen 1975

Friedensreich Hundertwasser made this, 748 One of Five Seamen, I imagine, with gouache, maybe watercolor, some ink…I love the flat surface, the color, and how it’s all been built up like collage but with paint. I imagine Hundertwasser being really into this, thinking about architecture, thinking about faces, thinking about what it means to be at sea. He was probably trying to put all these things together in one go, kind of letting it happen, maybe intuitively, and, of course, playfully. That green circular eye is incredible – it really brings the whole face into focus, like a porthole to the soul. But what I love most is how Hundertwasser is in conversation with other artists, like Paul Klee, but doing his own thing, pushing the boundaries, and making something totally unique. It’s all part of this never-ending conversation that artists have, inspiring and challenging each other across time.