Pariah: The Legend 2: Hill of the dead 1924

Editor: This is Ernst Barlach's, Pariah: The Legend 2: Hill of the dead. It's undated, but the rough charcoal strokes and dark composition create a really somber, almost desperate mood. What's your read on it? Curator: Desperate is right. Barlach lived through some brutal times, and I see that etched in every frantic line. The composition feels almost like a descent, doesn't it? As if we're being dragged down into the depths of despair with these figures. Editor: Yeah, it’s not exactly uplifting! The expressions are so intense. Curator: They are! And notice how Barlach uses light and shadow, or the lack thereof, to amplify that feeling. It's all heavy, like a bad dream clinging to the surface. What does it stir up in you? Editor: It's a bit suffocating, honestly. It makes me want to understand the story behind it. Curator: That’s Barlach! He grabs you by the throat, doesn’t he? But there’s a certain raw truth to it that's undeniably compelling, even beautiful, in its own way.