16167 („Ich, ich herrsche weit und breit …“) 1932

Editor: So, here we have John Elsas' 1932 drawing, "16167 ('Ich, ich herrsche weit und breit …')", made with ink and pencil on paper. I'm struck by this… amorphous figure floating above this inscription. It feels ghostly and almost melancholic. What do you make of it? Curator: Melancholic is a great word for it! To me, it feels like a fragment of a memory, or perhaps a fleeting emotion trying to take shape. That phrase he wrote at the bottom translates to "I, I reign far and wide…I am the Unshelteredness," right? Editor: That’s my understanding. "Unshelteredness." Powerful. Curator: Indeed! It really does speak volumes about the turbulent times when Elsas made it, right before everything went absolutely bananas. That swirling, indefinite form hovering over that assertive yet vulnerable claim of reign… is that a contradiction? A defiance? Editor: It's a bit of both, maybe? It reads almost as anxiety struggling with bravado. The form itself looks like it could dissipate at any moment. Almost… like it's about to disappear into thin air! Curator: Right! And that push and pull gives it such depth! To me it evokes how the world just bears down and crushes you if you try to make a sound that nobody appreciates! It's a small drawing, but crammed full. Editor: Definitely makes you wonder what "unshelteredness" meant to Elsas in that moment. I had assumed the piece would feel a bit political or grandiose, but up close it felt intimate and quiet. Curator: Exactly! Isn't it amazing how art can ambush our expectations like that? I came to speak about his art, but, again, it became about me too! Editor: Absolutely. Each viewing offers something new! Thanks for sharing your perspective.