Traum c. 1922

Karl Wiener made this pen and ink drawing called 'Traum', which means 'dream' in German, using thin hatching marks and a luminous colour palette. The process here feels like a stream-of-consciousness, Wiener putting down lines as fast as his hand could carry him. The surface is alive with energy; you can almost feel the scratching of the pen across the paper. Look at the way the black hatching lines are used to define the shape of the room. Red, blue, and yellow are almost violently applied, giving a sense of unease. My eye is drawn to the lamp above the bed. The artist uses strong, almost violent lines to show beams of light, making it look like the sleeper is being abducted by aliens! It reminds me a little of some of the drawings of Gustav Klimt, but with a much darker, more unsettling feel. It's a reminder that art doesn't always have to be pretty – sometimes it can be a way of exploring the darker corners of the human experience.