Dessin Decoupée 1950 - 1993

Frederick Sommer made this paper cut out, Dessin Decoupée. It’s all about reduction, baby! Sommer goes straight to the essence of form with just a few snips of paper. The two figures are rendered with such stark simplicity, all sharp edges and absences, it's like they’ve been distilled down to their most essential gestures. Look closely, and you can almost feel the quick flicks of Sommer’s wrist as he carved out these forms. The shapes lock together in a dance of positive and negative space. The eye is drawn in and around the figures, creating a sense of movement. It brings to mind Matisse's cut-outs, but with a rawer, more urgent feel. Unlike Matisse’s big shows, this is smaller and more of a conversation between two bodies. It's like he's saying, "Here's all you need: form, shadow, and a little imagination."