Wallpaper 1935 - 1942

This ‘Wallpaper’ design by N. Rathovich uses paint, probably gouache or watercolor, to create a repeat pattern, which feels like a kind of dance to me. Look at how the artist laid down the vertical stripes first; it gives everything a grounding, but also a rhythm. And then these leaf-like shapes wind around the flowers. Each mark feels considered, and placed with intention, which is art-making at its most distilled. But the blue seeps into the white in places, creating a softness, and a kind of yielding. What really grabs me are those floral shapes, with their almost musical quality. The simple palette makes everything pop, and the slight imperfections are what give the piece its charm. It reminds me of the work of someone like Ree Morton, who also had a way of taking the everyday and turning it into something special. For me this piece suggests how simple elements like line and color, can be a way of seeing, and feeling, the world around us.