Beginning Motion 1944

Editor: This is Werner Drewes' "Beginning Motion," a woodcut print from 1944. The strong geometric shapes and stark contrasts give it a real sense of dynamism. It feels like everything is about to shift or take off. What do you make of this piece? Curator: You're right; it *is* about movement! For me, Drewes perfectly captures the anxieties and the exhilarating possibilities of a world in flux through simple shapes. Look how he sets up conflicting spatial cues -- is it flat or dimensional? – does it invite us in, or push us away? This visual push-and-pull mirrors the era’s uncertainties. But beyond the historical, the interplay of colour and line here just zings! Does it trigger any personal connections for you? Editor: Hmmm... personally, the stark lines and circles almost feel like musical notes on a page, ready to spring to life. It’s an exciting kind of organized chaos. I was also curious – what does this tell us about Drewes himself? Curator: I love the music analogy! As for Drewes himself, he straddled worlds. He was deeply influenced by the Bauhaus aesthetic and, fleeing Nazi Germany, brought a distinctly European modernist sensibility to the US. But it's his *emotional* world etched in here, don’t you think? That inner landscape seeking to find order amid upheaval. Do you sense a resolution, or just suspended action? Editor: I definitely feel that sense of "suspended action" more strongly. The "motion" is just beginning. Curator: Exactly! The real genius is in that ambiguity.