Abstract Head, Inner Vision Green-Gold 1926

Curator: This is Alexej von Jawlensky's "Abstract Head, Inner Vision Green-Gold," painted in 1926 using oil paint. What strikes you upon seeing this work? Editor: Initially, it's the tension. The bold geometry gives it a solid, almost architectural presence, yet the colors soften that severity, evoking a sense of introspection. The heavy reliance on stark contrasts suggests an internal struggle, or perhaps even repressed emotions. Curator: It's fascinating that you pick up on tension. Jawlensky's exploration of the human face through abstraction came at a turbulent time in Europe. Following World War I, artists grappled with representing trauma and the fragmentation of society. He simplified facial features into geometric forms not to distort, but to access a deeper, spiritual reality. Think of how feminist theorists saw the patriarchal nature of art history, the reduction of individuals based on stereotypes, archetypes. Editor: That adds a new dimension. The shapes themselves feel archetypal—the rounded head, the severe brow line—suggesting a universal experience of self, beyond a particular identity. What about the colors? Do they hold symbolic meaning, beyond mere aesthetics? Curator: The color choices are particularly potent. Gold often symbolizes divinity or enlightenment across cultures. But the muted greens and reds could reference nature, or perhaps blood, hinting at both the earthly and spiritual realms contained within the individual. He was working during an exciting period of interwar introspection in Germany, with diverse perspectives like critical theory. Editor: The two suns or halos, then, represent spiritual transcendence through geometric shapes that feel more stable than an actual face or the expectation of how someone looks, like an anchor. Thank you. It makes me realize that abstract symbolism opens pathways into collective consciousness. Curator: Indeed. These ‘Inner Vision’ heads marked a pivotal point in Jawlensky's career as he continued to hone his craft and simplify forms down to what he viewed as fundamental aspects of emotional expression. It pushes the boundaries of how we consider what ‘self-portrait’ can embody. Editor: An exploration of universal experiences and subconscious drives. Curator: Precisely. This artwork asks us to look beyond the surface and reflect upon our humanity. Editor: Now it really calls into question the entire nature of expression.