Lust c. 1921

Karl Wiener made "Lust" with some kind of waxy crayon or pastel, and the marks are built up so densely that the eyes seem to be popping out at you. It's like the whole thing is vibrating. There’s a lot of red, but it is woven together with every other colour. And that crazy grid in the background gives it such a powerful feeling. The lines aren’t straight, you know? They’re wiggly, and that makes the whole surface come alive. Look at the red lines zooming out from the centre. They are almost slashing at the viewer, aggressive and kind of funny all at once. I wonder if Paul Klee ever saw this. It’s got that same spirit of playful exploration. I love the way it shows us that art doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful, sometimes the imperfections are where the real magic happens.