Rising Star 1923

Paul Klee made Rising Star, with paint, probably oil or tempera, on fabric applied to cardboard. The surface has a mottled, almost granular feel to it, like looking at a wall that's been painted over and over. Underneath those layers, there's a sense of something glowing, a warmth that peeks through the cool blues and greys on top. See that jagged line climbing up to the star? It’s awkward and hesitant, like a vine reaching for light. Each mark, each little dab of color, feels like a step in a process, a journey. Klee’s mark-making is so particular to him, though, in its intimacy and the meditative process of its build-up, I'm reminded of Agnes Martin’s grids, the way she creates an atmosphere of infinite possibility. Klee doesn't tell us what to see; he invites us to feel our way through the painting.