Individualized Altimetry of Stripes 1930

Editor: Here we have Paul Klee’s "Individualized Altimetry of Stripes," painted in 1930. It’s a layered work with these beautiful horizontal and vertical stripes and rectangles of varying colors. I am interested in learning more about its composition and I was wondering what stands out to you most about it? Curator: What grabs me immediately is Klee's overt emphasis on materiality. Look at how he applies the paint, seemingly in thin, deliberate layers, almost like threads being woven. This links the 'high art' of painting directly to the process-driven world of textiles, particularly those associated with the Bauhaus, and questions the boundaries between artistic disciplines and crafts. How do you think the title "Individualized Altimetry" plays into this material process? Editor: The "Altimetry" part makes me think of a sort of measurement or mapping of height, but I’m unsure about the "Individualized" aspect of it. It is maybe each layer being somehow unique in itself. Curator: Precisely. It suggests a very deliberate, individualized approach to building the surface. Each colored stripe is its own distinct material entity, accumulating labor and time. Consider this in relation to the standardization so embraced at the Bauhaus. Editor: So, Klee could be subtly critiquing that ideal, highlighting individuality, through a production methodology which at first glance could be interpreted as standardized? Curator: Absolutely. It invites us to consider the socio-economic implications of mass production versus individualized craftsmanship, something Klee and his Bauhaus colleagues wrestled with. We can appreciate the painting's seemingly simple composition, whilst it addresses a dialogue between artistic intention, labor, and materials. Editor: It makes me reconsider my first impression. What initially seemed like a simple painting now strikes me as Klee expressing something really intentional. Curator: Yes. Paying attention to materials really opens it up to new interpretations.