Untitled (Abstract) 1937

This abstract drawing by Paul Kelpe is made with pen on paper. It's all blacks, whites, and grays. Looking at this, I'm thinking about how Kelpe uses simple shapes and lines to make something that feels so complex. The circles, rectangles, and triangles all seem to be floating. I can imagine him making the drawing, starting with a basic structure and then just letting it grow organically. It's like he's building a little world on the page. The different patterns and textures give it a lot of visual interest. It reminds me of other abstract artists who were exploring geometric forms and trying to create a new visual language. We all borrow from each other, you know. It's an ongoing conversation. What is this language? It's a language of feeling, a language of seeing, a language of thinking. You can't ever be sure that you understand what it means to say, and isn't that the point?