17175 („Die Wissenschaft der Börse …“) 1932

John Elsas made this mixed media piece, 17175, sometime around 1932, a really turbulent time for the financial markets. It's like he's collaging not just materials, but also ideas about value and exchange. The work is all about layering, right? Little scraps of paper, pieced together to form these almost cartoonish figures. Look at how he uses different patterns and textures to create depth and interest, especially in the figures clothes. This is not about creating a perfect picture, but about the process of putting things together, taking them apart, and seeing what happens. There's something so raw and immediate about the way Elsas works. It reminds me of artists like Hannah Höch, who were also experimenting with collage as a way to make sense of a world that felt increasingly fragmented. But Elsas brings his own unique sensibility to the table, creating something that feels both playful and deeply unsettling. Art's always a conversation, isn't it? A messy, beautiful, ongoing exchange of ideas.