Geabstraheerd gezicht 1923

Erich Wichmann created this drawing, "Geabstraheerd Gezicht" or "Abstracted Face", with chalk on paper. At first glance, the composition appears as a sequence of dark, amorphous shapes against a light background, evoking a sense of formlessness. However, the semiotic play suggests otherwise. The dark areas, seemingly arbitrary, coalesce into a profile. This evokes a face but destabilizes conventional portraiture, challenging our perception of representation. The face is not whole, but rather fragmented. This visual strategy resonates with early 20th-century debates about representation and identity. Wichmann undermines fixed meanings and explores the fluidity of perception. By rendering the face in such an abstracted manner, he invites the viewer to participate in the act of interpretation, questioning the boundaries between abstraction and figuration, presence and absence. Ultimately, this artistic choice underscores a deeper philosophical inquiry into the nature of identity.