Head and Bottle 1982

Here's Baselitz's 'Head and Bottle', made with graphic tools, maybe wood or lino cut. I am imagining the carving of the matrix, its sticky inking and the satisfying pressure of the press. The palette is quite constrained. Yellow, red, and black, worked with a raw, bold touch. Look how the colors bleed and interact, creating texture and depth. The black areas, almost like a void, contrast against the graphic energy of the head and bottle. Baselitz probably liked this kind of tension. I wonder what Baselitz was thinking about when making this. The head is so raw and primitive, almost like an artifact dug up from the earth. It is a far cry from the slick surfaces of Pop Art. He was part of a generation of German artists grappling with the past, who looked to art brut, as well as German Expressionism. A heavy dialogue to carry. These artists are in a constant conversation across time, inspiring and challenging each other's creative boundaries. Painting embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.