Allegresse 1959

Jean Dubuffet made this print, "Allegresse", with a monochromatic palette of earthy tones. Imagine the studio, a space of focused energy, as Dubuffet works on the plate – maybe with a tool or a rag, even his own fingers. The surface is alive with texture; each mark seems to carry a piece of Dubuffet's intention, his quest for the raw and unfiltered. I wonder if he felt like he was excavating something, digging into the surface to reveal a hidden layer of perception. I like how he’s unafraid to let the material speak, letting the textures and tones create their own kind of language. The title, "Allegresse," which translates to "exuberance" or "joy," feels like a playful wink. Maybe he saw joy in the mundane, in the simple act of mark-making, or perhaps he was poking fun at the art world’s obsession with grand emotions. It feels related to what others were doing at the time, like the pared-down surfaces of Twombly and the intense material focus of Burri. We're all just bouncing off each other, you know?