Pa. German Birth Certificate c. 1940

This Pa. German Birth Certificate, by Albert Levone, probably made with watercolor, is all about embracing the joy of making. Look at the way Levone approaches the floral motifs, so repetitive, each bloom so similar but also clearly unique. You get the sense that Levone delighted in the process of making each individual flower, each variation on a theme. The colors here are earthly, like a muted rainbow, but there’s something about their placement that sings. Notice the rhythm of the reds and greens. The paint application is interesting too. It’s thin, almost translucent in places, giving the piece an airy, delicate feel. The surface texture of the paper is allowed to peek through, adding a subtle grittiness. Think of someone like Hilma af Klint, who also explored symbolic forms, or even more contemporary artists like Matthew Ritchie, who create their own cosmologies through painting. Levone's work, like theirs, reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, full of echoes and shared dreams. It’s a reminder that fixed meanings are less interesting than the possibilities that open up when we embrace ambiguity and multiple interpretations.