The Germination 1967

Toyen made this drawing, called 'The Germination', sometime in the mid-twentieth century. It's all sprouting forms and growth, rendered in moody blacks and greys set against a pink ground. I can almost feel Toyen coaxing this image into being. They allow the forms to emerge from the subconscious. There's this big bulbous form, maybe a seed or a root, and from it, these finger-like tendrils unfurl. They’re reaching out, exploring the space around them. Each line is carefully considered, yet the overall effect feels spontaneous, intuitive. I wonder what was going through Toyen’s mind as they created this piece? Were they thinking about the cycles of nature? Or perhaps it’s more personal, a reflection on their own creative process? Maybe both. As painters, we are always in dialogue with each other, building on what came before, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It’s a process of endless exploration, and, like this image, of constant germination.