Twee geabstraheerde hoofden en een heilig hart 1923

This intriguing graphite drawing, "Two Abstracted Heads and a Sacred Heart," was made in 1923 by the German-Dutch artist Erich Wichmann. The image is produced with a soft, yielding material, one that allows for broad tonal variation, from light gray to near-black. The artist has exploited this potential, creating a blurred, dreamlike effect. The drawing is composed of looming and seemingly unstable shapes, like heads emerging from primordial matter. Above them floats a heart shape. Wichmann's choice of graphite, typically associated with preparatory sketches rather than finished artworks, suggests a deliberate attempt to challenge conventional hierarchies of art and craft. The relatively quick nature of drawing allowed Wichmann to work spontaneously. Ultimately, in its very simplicity, Wichmann's work invites us to reflect on the labour, politics, and consumption implicit in all creative processes. The drawing underscores how an artist can imbue even the humblest of materials with profound social and cultural significance.