Staal met bedrukte zijde, dessin Tanzpaar 1915

This is a design for printed silk called Tanzpaar, or Dancing Couple, by the Wiener Werkstätte. I love how the design process is left visible here. You can really see the hand of the artist in the zig-zagging lines and scratchy little figures. There’s a cool combination of angular and organic shapes. The sharp zig-zags contrast with the more fluid, abstract forms of the figures, which makes you think about the movements of dancers: sometimes sharp and precise, sometimes more free-flowing and improvised. Each mark feels deliberate, like a little dance in itself. It reminds me of Matisse's paper cut-outs, the way simple shapes can create a sense of movement and joy. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, with artists borrowing, responding, and adding their own voices to the mix.