Flower myth 1918

Paul Klee made this painting, Flower Myth, in the early 20th century, and right away, you can see how he's playing with color and form to create this dreamlike space. The red is almost overwhelming, isn't it? It's this warm, earthy ground from which all these little symbols and shapes emerge. The paint itself is quite thin, almost like watercolor, which gives it this translucent quality. Look closely at the way the crescent moon or the little bird are rendered. They’re not trying to be realistic. Klee's more interested in how these shapes float in the space, how they interact with each other. There's a sense of humor and lightness in Klee's work that reminds me of Joan Miró. Both artists were able to tap into a kind of childlike wonder and bring it to their art. And that's what makes Klee so special, this ability to embrace ambiguity and let the painting be a space of endless possibilities.