Rote Säulen vorbeiziehend (Passing By Red Pillars) 1928

Editor: This is Paul Klee's "Passing By Red Pillars" from 1928, a mixed-media drawing with watercolor. It's got such a dreamlike, almost childlike quality, don't you think? I am fascinated by this landscape with simple forms... geometric shapes alongside very suggestive figurations! What do you make of this, considering Klee's background? Curator: It's fascinating how Klee pulls us into his own private cosmos, isn't it? Like peeking into a playful, slightly melancholic dream. The "red pillars" become stand-ins for… what? Perhaps strength? Or boundaries? They almost feel like musical notes, punctuating the rhythm of the landscape. He’s definitely using abstraction as a kind of emotional language. Editor: Emotional language... That's interesting, especially considering his connection to the Bauhaus. They were all about form following function, weren't they? Curator: Exactly! But Klee always danced on the edges, didn't he? He embraced the Bauhaus’ emphasis on simplicity and design, yet never abandoned the realm of emotion and personal expression. That arrow on the left; where does that guide you? Editor: Hmm, that’s a great question. I initially didn't notice the arrow. It does pull your gaze out beyond the immediate picture... maybe into the future, or perhaps another state of mind? It does evoke some wanderlust to places I might never visit, while adding an extra layer of dimension, that’s for sure. Curator: I like the idea of ‘another state of mind’. Klee had the uncanny ability to find the extraordinary within the ordinary. In doing so he encourages us to look more closely at both ourselves and the external world. Editor: It certainly does make you reconsider the mundane, doesn't it? Klee manages to mix playfulness and thoughtfulness, encouraging introspection... and a touch of silliness as well. Curator: Absolutely! Klee's ability to spark wonder is indeed quite timeless. It also reinforces for me, to not to take myself too seriously in any artistic endeavours.