two acrobats 1932 - 1933

Ernst Ludwig Kirchner’s “Two Acrobats” is all about how artmaking is a process of layering, of building. I like to imagine how the colours were laid down first in washes, and then how the forms were built with bolder lines. There’s a lot of contrast here, not just between the colours, but also in the way Kirchner has applied the paint. The fluidity of the pink background offset by the bold black, gives it an expressive feeling. The surface of the piece feels very physical. The texture of the paint creates an emotional experience, there is something in the pink which almost feels soft, but the boldness of the black is sharp and aggressive. Look at the line that defines the back of the figure at the top of the composition. It’s so incredibly subtle. It helps make the figure almost disappear into the surface of the painting. Kirchner’s work, with its raw energy and bold colour choices, really paved the way for later artists to challenge traditional ways of seeing and making art. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about fixed meanings, but about embracing the unexpected.