16563 („Es ist der Mann sehr beladen …“) 1932

This paper collage was created by John Elsas, it features two paper figures set against an off-white background, with a handwritten phrase below. I’m immediately drawn to the woman on the left, with her outstretched arms, as if in supplication. There’s also the man who seems to be wearing a colorful, patterned tunic. I can just imagine Elsas in his studio, cutting and arranging these paper forms, shifting them around until they felt just right. The texture of the paper adds a tactile quality to the work. The shapes are both abstract and figurative, which feels like a space where so many artists work. It’s like Elsas is inviting us into a world that feels both familiar and strange. I think about other collage artists, like Hannah Höch or even Matisse in his late cut-out period. They're all in conversation, exchanging ideas, riffing off each other's innovations. Elsas’ piece reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue, a constant search for new ways of seeing and feeling.