Wall Paper Border c. 1937

This is Karl Joubert’s wallpaper border made with paint on paper, and what strikes me is how this piece is about making something flat look dimensional. There’s an interesting use of color here. The blues, greens and greys aren’t blended, but layered in such a way that creates an image which almost vibrates on the surface. The overall effect is quite jewel-like. Look at how each individual motif in the green stripe has been painted; each one has been carefully built up with several layers of brushstrokes to create the impression of depth, of light hitting a three-dimensional surface. It’s this real push and pull between flatness and depth which I find so compelling in this piece, something you also see in the work of artists like Bridget Riley who really play with our perception. It reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation.