Aufmarsch der Krüppel 1938

Walther Gamerith made "Aufmarsch der Krüppel" using paint, to address a disturbing subject. The orangey-red color palette creates a sense of unease. There's something raw and unsettling about the texture of this painting, like a scream that's been painted over and over. The brushstrokes are visible, frantic almost, as though Gamerith was wrestling with the subject matter right there on the canvas. Look at the figures and their shadows, they are made with broad strokes, it’s like the whole scene is pulsating with feverish energy. Gamerith reminds me of artists like Otto Dix, who weren't afraid to confront the darkness lurking beneath the surface of society. Art at its best doesn't give easy answers, it holds a mirror up to our own anxieties and forces us to confront what we'd rather ignore.