16574 („Wie ist so schlimm die jetzige Zeit …“) 1932

This paper collage with ink writing, was made by John Elsas, but we don't know when exactly. Just imagine him, snipping away with his scissors, carefully piecing this figure together. It’s like a paper doll, a little theatrical maybe? I see a figure with its hand raised in a gesture – is it giving a blessing, or calling out? Elsas's colour choices feel so precise; the apricot face, blue shoe, and the stark contrast of the black body creates a strangely harmonious dissonance. I wonder, was Elsas thinking about expressionism when he made it? The writing feels like a stream of consciousness, some kind of personal lament. The image and text come together as a kind of puzzle, a little window into Elsas's mind. And that’s the thing about art, isn’t it? It is a conversation across time, artists speaking to each other, inspiring each other. Even across decades, we can still feel a connection.