Großgroß=Keiserinn und Groß=Groß=Göttinn Hellveetia, im Haven von Daali; Indien 1917

Adolf Wölfli made this artwork, Großgroß=Keiserinn und Groß=Groß=Göttinn Hellveetia, im Haven von Daali; Indien, with colored pencil on paper. There's something really raw about the way the marks accumulate, building up forms and patterns. It's like Wölfli is thinking through drawing. I find myself drawn to the lower half of the piece, especially the clock face with its intricate patterns and multiple hands. It’s surrounded by these bold borders, and then more borders, like the image is trying to contain itself. It's interesting to see how Wölfli’s art evolved over time; this feels like a really condensed version of some of his later, more expansive works. You could almost compare his obsessive mark-making to someone like Yayoi Kusama, but with a totally different psychological intensity. Ultimately, with Wölfli, there's always this sense of mystery, inviting us to look closer and piece together our own understanding.