Die Zeitung (Newspaper) 1963

Gerhard Hoehme made this print, titled "Die Zeitung," which translates to "The Newspaper," without any specific date, using printmaking techniques. Looking at how he's worked the surface, you get the sense that artmaking is about embracing the unpredictable nature of materials. The texture in this piece is really something. It's like he's wrestling with the news itself – smearing, obscuring, and highlighting different bits of information. The browns and blacks feel weighty, serious, but then there's a lightness to the marks, almost like graffiti, that keeps it playful. On the right-hand side you can see where Hoehme scrawled marks and shapes over the text, a dialogue between control and chance. It’s a lot like when I’m painting, it starts with an idea, but the material leads the way. This feels like a conversation with someone like Cy Twombly. Both artists play with text and gesture. Hoehme reminds us that art doesn’t need to have all the answers; it can be a space for asking questions, for embracing uncertainty, and for seeing the world in new ways.