Music of the Spheres 1944

Curator: So, we’re standing in front of "Music of the Spheres," created in 1944 by Max Ackermann. It’s a mixed-media print with pastel touches—a really compelling piece of geometric abstraction. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by how playful it feels, despite its abstraction. It reminds me of sheet music translated into shapes and colours; something joyous, a secret language perhaps. Curator: The "secret language" aspect rings true for Ackermann, who explored esoteric ideas quite deeply. The geometric forms here aren't just decorative. They are, in his mind, connected to larger universal harmonies, hence "Music of the Spheres". Editor: Right, the vertical and horizontal lines…it's interesting how he disrupts pure geometry with these somewhat awkward placements and softer pastel applications. It refuses to be cold or sterile. Did his use of those mixed media components reinforce the idea of multiple layers or viewpoints? Curator: I believe that’s part of it. Ackermann blends printmaking with pastel to achieve layered transparency and an almost dreamlike effect. In many respects the forms, with their strong colours, echo Kandinsky and the Bauhaus school of thought but with a bit of playful irreverence. Editor: The arrangement does generate a sense of depth—things floating in the picture plane. This reminds me that “sphere” not only suggests heavenly harmony but, literally, dimensional space, that this composition uses geometry as portals—as passages that point towards another place or feeling. Curator: Exactly, his compositions aren’t still lives or landscapes but more mental landscapes. He's exploring a sort of interior space mapped with visual symbols. I also feel his use of colors is deliberately striking yet somehow restful simultaneously, making us gaze longer to decipher more… Editor: I agree. This piece really is an invitation. There’s something very gentle about its energy, isn't there? Something that hints at finding profound simplicity through visual symphony… Curator: I'd say so. And the beauty is, the symphony sounds a little different to everyone who listens with their eyes.