Kinder Filmen I 2005

Isa Genzken made Kinder Filmen I with paint, collage, and maybe even some photographs, on what looks like four tall panels. There’s such a sense of process here, you know? Like she’s working it out as she goes along. I’m really drawn to the stripes of color running across each panel, they seem to be holding it all together, like the staves in music. Look how some of the colors are bright and opaque, while others are almost transparent. I love the way she incorporates texture and found images into the surface. The contrast between the smooth, reflective parts and the rough, layered areas makes you want to touch it, doesn't it? Notice the drips and splatters in the rightmost panel, like the paint is escaping. Genzken’s work is always pushing boundaries, playing with different materials and ideas. You might think of Sigmar Polke, who similarly mixed media and undermined any sense of high art seriousness. Ultimately, these panels are about opening up possibilities rather than closing them down.