Three Girls in Profile (Drei Madchen im Profile) 1921

Otto Mueller rendered these three girls in profile in a flurry of marks. It's like he was trying to find their essence through a process of emergence. The composition is striking. The use of line and the subtle shading – it's as if he's feeling his way through the form, trying to capture the inner lives of these young women. I feel like he was trying to channel the spirit of the Die Brücke movement. The texture is amazing. You can almost feel the grain of the wood and the way the ink was applied. It’s that kind of mark-making that captures a feeling, an intention. When I look at their faces, they seem to be staring out at the viewer, asking them a question, searching for an answer. The conversation between artists is always ongoing. We are constantly inspired by one another. Painting is about embracing uncertainty and allowing for multiple interpretations.