Flucht aus der Zeit 1943

Karl Wiener made this drawing, "Flucht aus der Zeit," or "Escape from Time," in 1943 using graphite on paper. It's all about the energy of the lines, right? How they collide and intersect, creating this sense of fractured space, like shards of glass reflecting different realities. Look at how he layers the lines, some dark and assertive, others light and tentative, almost like whispers. The graphite is applied with varying pressure, creating a range of tones from deep shadows to soft highlights. See that soldier's face, how it emerges from the chaotic web of lines? The eyes, especially, are so intense, conveying a sense of weariness or maybe even a kind of resignation. It's like he's trapped, not just in the drawing, but in some kind of psychic prison. I think of Paul Klee when I look at this, that same interest in line as a way to map inner states. Both artists embrace ambiguity, inviting us to wander through the image and find our own meaning in the chaos.