Wallpaper Border c. 1939

Moses Bank created this "Wallpaper Border" with watercolor, and graphite on paper. The artwork is structured around a horizontal band featuring a floral design. At first glance, the combination of flowers and a dark background might seem like an exercise in traditional aesthetics. Yet, the composition invites a deeper look at the interplay between nature and artifice. The floral motifs, rendered in pastel shades, sit against a stark, dark backdrop. This contrast isn't merely decorative. The artist uses this to question conventional notions of beauty. He engages with semiotics through the use of flowers as signs. They traditionally represent beauty and delicacy, but here they're set against a dark background, challenging fixed meanings. The composition’s horizontal orientation, coupled with the repetitive floral pattern, speaks to the idea of continuous, evolving meaning. This approach doesn't offer a definitive statement but serves as a visual experiment, inviting us to reconsider the boundaries of our own aesthetic expectations.