Dancing Nude 1925

Wilhelm Oesterle made this watercolor painting called Dancing Nude in 1926. The washes of color remind me of my own studio practice, where I let the paint run and drip, embracing chance and accident. Look at the way Oesterle uses thin washes of pigment to define the figure's form. The colors are muted and earthy, with touches of red, green and blue adding depth and contrast. You can see the texture of the paper coming through in places, which adds to the overall sense of immediacy. The figure is built from simple marks that delineate planes of light and shade, especially around the abdomen and legs. There’s something very raw and honest about this piece, reminiscent of the work of Egon Schiele, where the artist's hand is visible in every stroke. Both artists share an interest in the expressive potential of the human form, and the way that art can be a form of exploration, rather than illustration.