Untitled 1953

Dorothy Dehner made this untitled painting, using watercolor and ink on paper. It reminds me of a technical drawing for a utopian architectural structure, something by Hilma af Klint or Paul Klee, maybe? The lines are so precise. I can almost feel Dehner’s hand as she carefully laid down each stroke, building up these forms. I imagine she was interested in the geometry of space, how lines can define a place or a journey. The red flags give the image a sense of narrative, as if each structure is a location in the mind of the artist. The overall muted palette creates a sense of something melancholic, while the bright yellow accents suggest the warmth of human connection. There’s a sense of ongoing conversation between artists across time, inspiring each other’s creativity, and I think this piece reflects that, embracing ambiguity and allowing multiple interpretations.