17348 („Ich kann den Mann gebrauchen …“) 1932

John Elsas made this painting in 1932 using paper and paint on paper. It’s got this direct, cut-out feel. Like art made by a kid, or maybe someone who just wants to get straight to the point. The first thing I notice is how the figures are built from blocks of color. Look at how the color doesn’t really stay inside the lines. It’s like Elsas is thinking more about the shapes and the overall form. There’s a real materiality to the paint, like he's enjoying the simple gesture of applying it. You can almost feel him layering the colors, one on top of the other. And those hands! The way they barely touch. It's awkward, but intimate, too. I’m reminded of Henri Matisse, but Elsas has his own thing going on. Like he’s saying something about connection, or maybe the struggle to connect.