12 Uhr Mittags 1919

Reinhold Nägele made this print, 12 Uhr Mittags, with etching on paper. Can you imagine him bending over a copper plate, scratching into it with a needle? It’s a kind of reverse drawing, where the lines you make will hold the ink. Look at the incredible detail, the tiny figures, the way the artist has created depth and texture with all those lines going in different directions. There’s a wildness to it, a kind of unleashed energy. The needle seems to dance across the plate, creating a world of swirling angels and demons. It's a world collapsing into a single moment. I feel like Nägele is showing me his subconscious, a space where time and space are all jumbled up. Think of Goya, or maybe even some of the visionary artists like Hilma af Klint. Artists are always eavesdropping on each other, across time. It's a reminder that art isn’t about answers, but about the ongoing quest, the endless conversation between artists and viewers.