Vajda Lajos Mask with Little Human Head, 1938, Pastell on Paper, 43,5x62cm 1938

Vajda Lajos made this pastel on paper, Mask with Little Human Head, in 1938, and it's the kind of piece that makes you wonder, what was he thinking? The brown hues feel earthy, like digging in the soil, and the strokes are soft, smudgy. There is a sense of something being coaxed out of the paper, rather than imposed upon it. This feels like process, like he's working something through as he goes, and we’re getting to see the evolution of an idea, not just the finished product. Look at the white highlights, the little human head, and how they pop against the muted background. There's a raw quality to the mark-making. It’s like a dance between control and accident, a balance I always seek in my own work. It reminds me a bit of the early surrealists, like maybe Miró, in its playful exploration of form and meaning. Ultimately, it's the kind of piece that raises more questions than it answers. Isn't that the point of art anyway?