Petroglyph 1935 - 1942

Lala Eve Rivol made this piece, "Petroglyph," using what looks like cut paper or stencils to create these ghostly white figures against a grey ground. It's like she's pulled these ancient symbols right off a rock face and given them a new life. I'm really drawn to the way she’s arranged the elements – the little parade of animals at the top, the dancing figures, and those mysterious, star-like shapes. There’s a tactile quality, a simplicity, which reminds us of the directness of folk art. You can almost feel her hands at work, carefully placing each shape. Look at the way the figures are simplified – they are reduced to their essential forms. They have this naive quality that's both charming and powerful, echoing artists like Miró or Klee, who were also inspired by ancient and "primitive" art. This piece shows that art is really just an ongoing conversation with the past.