Moustaches 1925

Jean Arp made this artwork, titled Moustaches, using cut and layered cardboard, paint, and wood. These are common materials, but the way Arp has handled them is far from ordinary. The cardboard forms the base of the work. Notice the smooth, almost sensual curves that Arp has carved out, creating a play of positive and negative space. The layering gives the work a subtle depth, with shadows adding to its dimensionality. It is painted in neutral colors with two striking blue accents, drawing the eye to the collage's focal points. The artist skillfully combines techniques from woodworking to painting, and collage. It challenges our traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, but the process itself speaks to Arp's revolutionary approach to art-making. By embracing materials and processes from everyday life, Arp elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary.