20 Jan. 59 Zurich 1959

Curator: Julius Bissier created this watercolor on paper, titled “20 Jan. 59 Zurich.” It’s a small piece, roughly 20 by 23 centimeters. Editor: It feels so elemental. A primal scene rendered in earth tones, like cave paintings discovered after millennia. Curator: Bissier was deeply influenced by Zen Buddhism, particularly its emphasis on simplicity and meditation. This is reflected in his reduction of forms. Editor: Notice the interplay between the shapes, how the brown masses seem to anchor the lighter, more whimsical figure composed of lines and small color accents. Curator: These abstract shapes evoke ancient symbols, perhaps hinting at universal archetypes or primordial beings. It taps into our collective unconscious. Editor: Yet the precise geometry also betrays a modernist sensibility, a formalist reduction to basic shapes and colors. Curator: Ultimately, I think it’s a dialogue between the material world and the spiritual realm, captured in a fleeting moment of artistic creation. Editor: Yes, and the raw edges of the paper itself contribute to that feeling of immediacy, as if pulled directly from the artist's mind.