Stěhovaci Kabinet 1934

This collage by Jindrich Styrsky, called 'Moving Cabinet', is made from cut-out photographs. It's like he's rifling through the image bank of his imagination. The palette is pretty much monochrome, but the textures are doing a lot of work; the smooth skin of the woman, the furry mound at the bottom, the weird hatched texture on the tall cone. It all feels very tactile. Like, if you could touch it, the cone would be rough. Your eye keeps moving around, trying to figure out where each bit comes from. There's a leg, but then also a weird, shiny tap, and a tiny face in miniature. That disembodied face - is it a head on a plate, or a teeny tiny ghost? It's held in place by a white, geometric arm. It's kind of scary, but also makes you laugh. It reminds me of Hannah Hoch and her playful approach to Dada. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art doesn't have to be serious to be profound.