Cadavre exquis with Theodor Brauner 

Hedda Sterne and Theodor Brauner together created this "Cadavre Exquis" artwork through a collaborative drawing process. The choice of graphite on paper is key here; these are simple materials, direct and unpretentious. The process is as important as the finished drawing. ‘Cadavre Exquis’ literally translates to ‘exquisite corpse’, and refers to the Surrealist parlor game in which each participant adds to a composition without seeing what the previous person contributed. This method yields unexpected, dreamlike results. Here, we see a biomorphic figure assembled from different elements, vaguely reminiscent of a human form, yet also utterly alien. The soft, smudged quality of the graphite gives the creature a sense of ephemerality, as if it might dissolve back into the paper at any moment. This improvisational technique democratizes the artistic process, inviting chance and unconscious expression to take center stage. It’s a reminder that art-making can be a shared, playful endeavor, rather than a solitary pursuit. It pushes boundaries of authorship and intention in art.