17652 („Ich, ich bin das Taktgefühl …“) 1932

Editor: Here we have John Elsas's "17652 ('Ich, ich bin das Taktgefühl ...')" created in 1932. It’s a mixed media piece including drawing, collage, gouache, ink and paper. I’m struck by the unusual combination of textures, particularly the fabric used for the head covering in contrast with the ethereal body. What catches your eye about this work? Curator: The formal arrangement certainly piques interest. The composition reveals a tension between the representational – we can clearly discern a figure, of sorts – and the abstract, owing to the somewhat distorted rendering of the form and the disparate materials used. Editor: How so? Can you elaborate on the formal arrangement? Curator: Certainly. Consider the figure's lack of groundedness; the serpentine shape implies a dynamic movement, yet its opacity is minimal. Moreover, there's an engagement with juxtaposition between the figure and the plane, complicated by an area containing writing that mirrors the implied forms within the image. Would you agree? Editor: I do, particularly regarding that contrast in density and movement; however, is there an implication about how Elsas used his technique? The collage elements seems purposeful rather than random, for example. Curator: Indeed. The collage, specifically, disrupts the uniformity and invites questions about the relationship between different realities and planes. What meaning could we infer through this artistic methodology and selection of paper? Editor: It almost brings the figure, whoever she is, to life by introducing textile that one associates with the body? But if this association falls into place, I question what function she performs for viewers and the artist himself. I feel I will be turning these considerations over in my head. Thank you! Curator: A keen observation. Such contemplation reveals the efficacy of form in generating interpretive possibility, doesn't it?