Poster for Vienna Secession XVI, Ver Sacrum 1903

Here's my take on Alfred Roller's Poster for Vienna Secession XVI, Ver Sacrum. There are these dramatic, swooping black lines against a ground of pale yellow patterned with orange shapes, probably made with gouache and ink, and maybe stencils. I imagine Roller, in 1903, steeping back from the design as he lays down each element—the stylized lettering, the bold curves, and the geometric ornamentation—adjusting each form until they lock into place. I wonder if he listened to music? The forms have a kind of syncopated rhythm. He's not just creating an image, but composing an announcement, setting the stage for what’s inside. These graphics remind me a bit of Hilma af Klint’s paintings, and of course, Gustav Klimt, fellow members of the Secession. I am just imagining all these artists chatting and encouraging each other. You see how artists are always in conversation, riffing off each other, creating a visual chorus through time, inspiring us to imagine our own futures.