Maskers 1939 - 1941

Leo Gestel made this drawing, Maskers, with pen and ink on paper. It’s just a bunch of faces, but they’re all pressed together like they're in a mosh pit. Or maybe they're trying to get into a really exclusive club! I love how Gestel uses simple lines to create these characters, they're all so different, some with glasses, some with beards, some with, dare I say, rather vacant expressions. The cross-hatching in the background gives the whole thing a sense of depth. It's like he's suggesting a crowd, a society even, where everyone's putting on a face. Gestel had a fascination with depicting people and how they interact. It reminds me a little of James Ensor, that other master of masks and social commentary. But Gestel brings his own quirky sensibility to the table. His work reminds us that art doesn't always need to be serious or profound to make a statement. Sometimes, it just needs to be a little weird and a little fun.