White Rain 1980

Emerson Woelffer made this collage with paper on board, but the title, 'White Rain', makes me think of the kind of painting that is very free with its forms. I can imagine Woelffer tearing the paper. Each blue shape appears to be falling like rain from the sky. I think Woelffer was interested in how different shapes can create a sense of movement and energy, even within the still surface of the painting. I wonder if he was feeling a sense of playful experimentation when he made it, pushing the boundaries between abstraction and representation. I can almost see him, moving the pieces around before adhering them to the board. It’s like visual poetry! In this context, he might have been inspired by other artists who were also exploring the possibilities of collage and abstraction like Kurt Schwitters. Artists are always talking to one another, across time, inspiring one another's creativity, and, to me, this piece is no exception!