Staal met bedrukte zijde, dessin Aussee 1911 - 1914

This is a page of textile swatches from the Wiener Werkstätte, printed with the 'Aussee' design. What strikes me is how each swatch feels like a mini-painting, a self-contained world of color and pattern. Look at the way the colors bleed into each other, creating a hazy, dreamlike effect. It's like the design is still in the process of becoming, never quite fixed or finished. I find it so interesting because the fabric is so tactile, and I want to know what is like to touch. I can imagine running my fingers over the surface, feeling the slight variations in the weave and print. There’s a fluidity to it, an embrace of imperfection that reminds me of Matisse’s cut-outs – that same sense of playful experimentation and a willingness to let the hand guide the eye. It’s this kind of openness that makes art so exciting, this sense that anything is possible.