Illustration for Tristan Tzara's "Vingt-cinq poèmes" 1918

Jean Arp made this illustration for Tristan Tzara's "Vingt-cinq poèmes" using simple ink on paper to create an effect of immediacy, like a thought captured in mid-air. Look at the density of the black ink; it's not uniform, is it? There's a variation in tone, a kind of pulsating rhythm between light and dark. And the shapes! They remind me of natural forms, like pebbles smoothed by water or maybe the silhouette of a strange seed. It’s the kind of image that invites you to get lost in its simplicity, to let your mind wander. The thick, almost clumsy line has a real charm, as though Arp wasn't trying to control the image too much but allowed it to grow organically. The looping form in the middle, does that remind you of a question mark? It's like Arp is asking us to question what we see, to not take anything for granted. I think of Joan Miró when I see this; they both share a similar sense of playfulness and a love for biomorphic forms. This piece reminds us that art doesn't always have to be serious, it can be a joyous exploration of form and space.