Kubistische Komposition 1920

Jankel Adler made this Cubist Composition painting with oil, maybe with sand, it’s hard to tell exactly from here, but look at the texture! The thing I notice about this painting is the way the surface seems almost distressed, worn back, or rubbed away. In some areas, it feels thin and transparent, and in others, there’s real texture. I love how you can see the process, the history of mark making. There’s something really intimate and honest about that. The palette is very subdued, almost monochromatic, with the exception of a few accents of a pinky red. For me, the best art always leaves something open, unresolved. Art isn’t about answers, it’s about questions. The flattened planes, and ambiguous space, remind me a little of Juan Gris. It’s like having a conversation across time!