Blutgier 1942 - 1948

Curator: This chilling ink drawing on paper is Karl Wiener’s "Blutgier," created between 1942 and 1948. What strikes you initially about it? Editor: The sheer starkness of the composition is unnerving. The towering figure, the simplified lines, and the unsettling symbolism all contribute to a sense of impending doom. There's an almost unbearable tension. Curator: Wiener worked through the war and post-war years; the narrative seems influenced by personal experiences. The recurring elements—the heads, the prisoners—seem to speak to dehumanization on an industrial scale, but do you perceive a possible historical anchor? Editor: Perhaps. But the forms themselves have power beyond mere historical reference. Look at the central figure: her arms extended, one holding a glass, the other pointing to a monstrous weapon looming overhead. The stark contrast between celebration and destruction is brilliantly captured, if crudely drafted. Curator: Yes, there’s a sense of raw, visceral expression. The work’s strength is arguably found not in the precise refinement of the line but rather the intentional unrefined state of the production; in the roughness we understand what processes this piece reflects. Editor: But the geometric arrangement contributes. Those brutal cubes that serve as background, the cold tower to the left, all contribute to a disorienting landscape where no salvation is possible. There's no vanishing point, only the infinite, recurring horror. Curator: I agree—by presenting the imagery as we see it, in pure black-and-white linework, Wiener draws focus to what actions create a given history; the conditions, materials, or lack thereof. It’s not the what, but the how. Editor: And the emotional impact resonates regardless. Ultimately, "Blutgier" stands as a chilling formal rendering of our darkest potential. Curator: I concur; the emotional weight makes "Blutgier" as a stark reminder of the brutal production of violent historical outcomes.